When umbrellas were first popularized in eighteenth-century England, they were viewed with disdain by carriage drivers. The drivers feared the handheld devices because they considered ______ threats to their business, as people might walk in the rain rather than hire a coach.

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Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A

them

B

this

C

that

D

it

Correct Answer: A

Choice A is the best answer. The pronoun "them" is plural and correctly refers to the plural antecedent "umbrellas" (or "handheld devices").