Question

Pumas are large cat-like animals native to America. When London Zoo received reports that a wild puma had been seen about forty-five miles south of London, the reports were at first dismissed. _____. The descriptions given by different people, however, were so similar that experts from the Zoo eventually felt compelled to investigate.

The reports were initially ignored, but similar descriptions later made investigation necessary. Option B captures this shift from doubt to inquiry.

A The search began in a village where a woman claimed to have seen a large cat nearby

B However, as more evidence gradually appeared, the Zoo experts could no longer ignore the case

C The experts were therefore completely certain from the beginning that the animal was a puma

D It is disturbing to imagine a dangerous wild animal roaming freely in quiet countryside

E The search continued for several weeks, but the animal could not be captured

Detailed Solution