Read the following passage about ancient Maya architecture. Fill in the blank with the correct form of the verb in parentheses so that the paragraph maintains consistent verb tense.
Answer:Deep within the dense rainforests of Central America, ancient Maya architects constructed complex stone pyramids aligned with astronomical events. As solar equinoxes occurred, shadows cast by the structures 【created】 the visual illusion of a serpent slithering down the steps, a design feature that demonstrated their sophisticated understanding of geometry and astronomy.
Answer
created
The simple past-tense form 'created' maintains grammatical consistency with the other past-tense verbs in the historical narrative ('constructed', 'occurred', and 'demonstrated').
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Verb Tense and Consistency