|Question 19Verbal

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Text
In the Persian language, people commonly begin a folktale with a phrase that roughly translates to “there was and there was not.” In English, beginning with the phrase “once upon a time” is common. Indeed, how a folktale begins depends largely on the language in which ______blank being told.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
they were
A
these are
B
they are
C
it is
D