The following sentence has a blank that must be filled with the correct article or word. Choose the option that best completes the sentence in standard English. It is __________ university of excellence.

Introduction:
Fill in the blank questions often test your understanding of articles and how pronunciation affects their use. In this sentence, you must choose the most appropriate word to complete the phrase "It is ___ university of excellence." The key point here is the correct use of the indefinite article before the word "university".

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The incomplete sentence is: "It is __________ university of excellence."
- Options: "a", "an", "also", and "one".
- We assume standard rules for the use of "a" and "an" based on sound, not merely on the first letter of the next word.

Concept / Approach:
In English, "a" is used before words that begin with a consonant sound, and "an" is used before words that begin with a vowel sound. Although "university" begins with the letter "u", it is pronounced with a "yu" sound, which is a consonant sound. Therefore, it requires the article "a", not "an". The other options "also" and "one" do not fit grammatically or idiomatically in this sentence structure.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Say the phrase aloud: "It is a university of excellence" and "It is an university of excellence."Step 2: Notice that "a university" sounds natural, because "university" starts with the consonant sound "yu".Step 3: Recognise that "an university" sounds awkward, because "an" is reserved for words like "apple", "elephant", or "honour" that begin with vowel sounds.Step 4: Check "also" in the blank: "It is also university of excellence" is ungrammatical, because "also" does not function as an article here and we would still need an article.Step 5: Check "one" in the blank: "It is one university of excellence" changes the meaning and is not the usual idiomatic expression. The best and correct choice is "a".

Verification / Alternative check:
Compare with similar nouns such as "a European country" or "a union leader". In each case, the words start with vowels in spelling but with consonant sounds in pronunciation, so they take "a". On the other hand, words like "an umbrella" or "an honest person" use "an" because they begin with vowel sounds. This pattern confirms that "university" belongs with "a" and not with "an".

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B, "an", is wrong because it is used before vowel sounds, and "university" begins with a consonant sound "yu". Option C, "also", does not serve as an article and cannot stand alone before "university" in this construction. Option D, "one", would make the sentence read "It is one university of excellence", which is grammatically possible but unnatural and different in meaning, since it would stress the number rather than the quality. The question clearly aims at testing article usage, so the correct choice is option A, "a".

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to select "an" whenever the following word starts with a vowel letter, without considering the actual sound. This leads to errors with words like "university", "European", and "union". Another pitfall is to think that "one" might be better because "a university of excellence" seems too simple, but exams usually focus on basic grammar rules rather than unusual emphases. Always pay attention to pronunciation when deciding between "a" and "an".

Final Answer:
The correct way to complete the sentence is a, giving "It is a university of excellence."