He listened to them with great patience ............... he was obviously infuriated.a.thoughb.howeverc.neverthelessd.consequently

To determine the best word to fill in the blank in the sentence "He listened to them with great patience ............... he was obviously infuriated," we need to analyze the context.

1. Understanding the Context

   • The sentence suggests a contradiction: he appears to be showing patience, but the following clause indicates he is infuriated. Thus, we are looking for a word that contrasts the two ideas.

2. Evaluating the Options

   • a. though - This word suggests a concession and can indicate contrast. It fits well with the idea of him being patient despite his anger.
   • b. however - This word also indicates contrast and can work in this context but feels slightly less natural.
   • c. nevertheless - Similar to "however," this also indicates contrast. It fits, but it may be a bit formal for this context.
   • d. consequently - This indicates a cause-and-effect relationship, which does not fit because patient listening does not lead to being infuriated.

3. Choosing the Best Option

   • Among the options, "though" stands out as the most fitting to express the idea of being patient in light of feeling infuriated.

Final Answer

The correct answer is a. though.