Select the most appropriate article to fill in the blank.
The famous London Bridge is built on the banks of _________ Thames.

Correct option is C

The correct option to fill in the blank is (c) the.
Explanation:
The names of rivers are always preceded by the definite article 'the'. Therefore, we say the Thames, the Ganga, the Nile, the Amazon, etc. Here, Thames is the name of a river flowing through southern England, so the correct expression is the Thames.
Example:
· The Thames flows through London.
· We crossed the Ganga by boat.
Why other options are incorrect:
· (a) No article required: Incorrect because names of rivers always take the.
· (b) a: Incorrect because the indefinite article is never used before names of rivers.
· (d) an: Incorrect because names of rivers require the definite article the, not an indefinite article.
Information Booster:
Use 'the' before:
· Rivers → the Yamuna, the Thames
· Oceans → the Indian Ocean
· Seas → the Arabian Sea
· Mountain ranges → the Himalayas
· Deserts → the Sahara