Question

The number of people invited ______ fifty, but a number of them ________ absent for different reasons.

A．was, was

B．were, were

C． were, was

D．was, were

Answer 1

D

考查：The number of +复数名词作主语，……的数量，谓语动词用单数；a number of+复数名词作主语，许多，谓语动词用复数形式。所以选D。