SAT OwlQuestion bank / Form, Structure, and Sense
Founded in the third century BCE, the Library of Alexandria gradually declined over several centuries and eventually disappeared. Historians believe that, at its height, the library ______ hundreds of thousands of scrolls, though no exact count survives.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
holds
held
will hold
has held
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
The library no longer exists, and "at its height" refers to a period in the past. The simple past "held" is correct. "Has held" would suggest the holding continues up to the present.
Choice D uses the present perfect, which implies the library still exists, but the text says it disappeared.
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