Questão 51

In recent years, the debate over same-sex marriage has grown from an issue that occasionally arose $\in a$ few states to a nationwide controversy. Indeed, $\in$ the last five years, the debate over gay marriage has been heard $\in$ the halls of the U.S. Congress, at the White House, $\in$ dozens of state legislatures and courtrooms, and $\in$ the rhetoric of election campaigns at both the national and state levels. Moreover, the battle over whether gays and lesbians should be allowed to wed shows no signs of abating. In the last year alone, three states have banned same-sex marriage and four states have legalized the practice. As the debate rages on, the American religious community remains deeply divided over the issue.

“Gay marriage” the pew forum on religion & public life. <http:/ /pewforum.org/gay-marriage/>. Online. August 31, 2009.

Which verb is $\in$ the Simple Past?