问题
选择题
The number of people invited ____ fifty, but a number of them ___ absent for different reason.
A．were; was
B．was; was
C．were; were
D．was; were
答案
答案：D
题目分析：考查谓语单复数，The number of…表示…的数量，所以第一个空是单数，a number of…表示许多，所以选D
点评：谓语单复数取决于主语的单复数，以number of组成的短语，它们的意思各不相同，要求考生掌握
即学即练：There ______ quantities of apples in the basket and there was ______ milk in the bucket.
A. were; a number of B. was; quantities of
C. were; a quantity of D. was; a good many
选C