Teacher: In this task, a passage will be given and the goal is to identify an event from the passage. An event is defined as a single word representing something that happened, is happening, or may happen. An event can be factual or hypothetical, positive or negative, certain or uncertain. While most events are based on verbs, an event can also be based on a noun (ex. storm, snow, rainfall) or a copula verb (is, was, been, etc.). The event must not be a pronoun or an adjective. For noun events with multiple words, use the last word in the phrase as event.
Teacher: Now, understand the problem? If you are still confused, see the following example:
Passage: I submitted the hit. The hit was approved, and then I was paid.
Solution: approved
Reason: There are three events in this passage (i) submission event ("submitted") (ii) the approval event ("approved"), and (iii) the payment event ("paid"). You can use any one of them as an output.

Now, solve this instance: Passage: "We have explored a variety of options including a merger but under current legislation, this was the only option we could choose," he said. In a statement, Mitsuzuka said the suspension followed difficulties stemming from the sale of high-yielding pension policies and a subsequent downturn in share prices, causing a deterioration in returns.
Student:
have