Select the most appropriate option to fill in the blank.
Gautam ______all the documents by the time his senior advocate reached the court.

Correct option is C

The correct option to fill in the blank is (c) had examined.
· The use of "had examined" is appropriate because it indicates that the action of examining the documents was completed before another action in the past (the senior advocate reaching the court).
Why other options are incorrect:
· (a) Will be examining: This is incorrect because it refers to a future continuous action, which does not fit the past context of the sentence.
· (b) Examines: This is incorrect because it refers to a habitual or general action, not a completed action in the past.
· (d) Is examining: This is incorrect because it refers to an ongoing action in the present, while the context requires a past perfect tense.