Fill in the blanks with the correct alternatives from the choices given below them. Ten thousand rupees _____distributed among the prize winners 

Were (correct verb): In this context, "ten thousand rupees" is treated as a plural entity, and the verb should agree with the plural form. Therefore, "were" is the correct choice.   Options:   (a) Is: This is the singular form of the verb and does not agree with the plural subject in this context. (b) Are: This is the plural form of the verb, but the correct form for the sentence is "were" to match the plural subject. (c) Were: This is the correct plural form of the verb, agreeing with the plural subject "ten thousand rupees." (d) Was: This is the singular form of the verb and does not agree with the plural subject.