In the progressive tense, the verb be is a
a. verb.
b. modifier.
c. conjunction.
d. gerund.

The correct answer (sample response) is:

Olaudah Equiano was terrified when he first saw the slave ship. His fear of the future was so horrible, he passed out cold. He knew by looking at his captors that he was never going to get home again. Because they looked so different than he and the other enslaved people looked, he knew what his future held. Even the conditions aboard the ship were horrible. The smells were awful and made Olaudah Equiano feel sick. When he refused to eat, he was beaten.