In the following sentence, choose the alternative that best improves the bracketed part. Happy is the man (who acquired) the habit of reading when he is young.

Introduction / Context:
This sentence expresses a general truth about happiness and the habit of reading. It reads, "Happy is the man (who acquired) the habit of reading when he is young." The tense and aspect of the clause in brackets must agree with the universal, timeless nature of the statement. We must choose a form that properly matches the simple present "is" and the general condition described.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The main clause uses the simple present: "Happy is the man".
• The subordinate clause describes which man we are talking about.
• Options include:
  • who acquires
  • which was acquiring
  • who acquire
  • No improvement
• The sentence is meant as a general statement about any man, not about a specific past event.

Concept / Approach:
We remember that:

• General truths typically use the simple present tense.
• Relative pronoun "who" for persons is followed by a verb that agrees in number with "man".
• "who acquired" in the original uses simple past, which suggests a completed action in a specific context rather than a general rule.

Therefore, the correct choice should use the simple present form "acquires".

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: The main clause "Happy is the man" is in simple present, expressing a general principle. Step 2: To maintain consistency and the idea of a general truth, the relative clause should also use simple present: "who acquires the habit of reading when he is young." Step 3: Option A "who acquires" gives the correct simple present verb form that agrees with the singular subject "man". Step 4: Option B "which was acquiring" is wrong because it uses "which" for things, not people, and the progressive past tense "was acquiring", which does not fit a general truth. Step 5: Option C "who acquire" is incorrect because the verb does not agree with the singular "man"; it would be correct only with a plural subject like "men who acquire". Step 6: The original "who acquired" is grammatically possible but does not express a timeless truth as clearly as "who acquires", so "No improvement" is not the best answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Insert option A into the sentence: Happy is the man who acquires the habit of reading when he is young. This version sounds like a proverb or general life lesson. It does not limit the statement to any specific man in the past and matches the present tense "is" and "is young". The structure is classical and widely used in exam English.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• which was acquiring: Wrong relative pronoun and tense; it also uses a continuous aspect unsuitable here.
• who acquire: Incorrect subject verb agreement with singular "man".
• No improvement: Retains a past tense that weakens the universal flavour of the statement.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners focus only on whether a clause "sounds okay" and forget to align tense with the type of statement being made. In proverbs and general truths, simple present is the norm. Another common problem is ignoring subject verb agreement in relative clauses. Always check what the relative pronoun refers to and choose the verb form accordingly.

Final Answer:
The correct improved phrase is who acquires, so the right option is "who acquires".