The number of people invited fifty, but a number of them absent for different reasons.
A. were, was
B. was, were
C. was, was
D. were, were
网友回答
A. were, was
(答案→)B. was, were
C. was, was
D. were, were
解析：the number of指“……的数目”，它所修饰的主语的谓语动词用单数；a number of= many,它所修饰的主语的谓语动词用复数。故选B。