Please answer my question on English grammar

[Anhminh1232002]

If, as the chairman has said, the other three candidates _____ men with references from very serious banks, the girl who eventually got the job must have been very bright, indeed.
A. were
B. are
C. had been
D. will be
My answer : C

I didn't see it myself, but of course, if he______ so rude to Anna, he will have to apologise to her next time she's here. That's all I can say.
A. were
B. would be
C. was
D. is
My answer : C

____ gave me that picture book.
A. Mary
B. It was Mary
C. It was Mary whom
D. It was Mary whose
My answer : C

[Beeesneees]

A though C is okay (the question is flawed)
C
A
_________________
Cheers m' dears!

[Atomos]

Hello Beeesneees,

[Esl_Expert]

In the first sentence, option A works the best for me.

An argument could possibly be made for option B. However, if someone has already been selected for the job, then technically the men are no longer candidates for that job; thus they were candidates in the past.

An argument might also possibly be made for option C. However, that would tend to sound as though the chairman's statement was counter-factual (a third conditional). That doesn't fit with the rest of the sentence, and I don't see that as the intended sense here.

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"Democracy is being allowed to vote for the candidate you dislike least." ~ Robert Byrne