In the passage, select the best word to complete the sentence: The question that this ________ is: are there more “complicated” policies which work better?

Introduction / Context:
This cloze passage discusses economic policy and the practice of targeting inflation. The sentence you must complete refers to the natural question that arises from adopting such a policy. The phrase The question that this ________ is requires a verb that correctly expresses the idea that a certain issue gives rise to or presents a question. You must pick the option that fits both grammatically and stylistically in formal writing.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Sentence fragment: The question that this ________ is: are there more “complicated” policies which work better?
• Options: shows, poses, brings along, ask.
• The subject this refers to the belief or practice of targeting inflation.
• The clause after is introduces the content of the question.

Concept / Approach:
In English, the standard expression is a question that this poses, meaning a question that this situation gives rise to. The verb pose is frequently used with question in academic and analytical contexts, such as this poses a challenge or this poses an important question. Other verbs like show, bring along, or ask do not naturally fit into the structure the question that this ____ is. Ask would also need a different grammatical pattern, such as the question that this asks of us, which is not given here.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise the pattern the question that this ________ is, where the blank must be filled with a verb in the third person singular. Step 2: Test poses: The question that this poses is: are there more “complicated” policies which work better. This reads smoothly and matches common usage. Step 3: Test shows: The question that this shows is sounds odd, because show normally takes a direct object that is being revealed, not a question that is being created. Step 4: Test brings along: The question that this brings along is is awkward and not idiomatic; we would instead say brings up or leads to. Step 5: Test ask: The question that this ask is is grammatically wrong because ask needs an object and the form should be asks, not ask, for a third person singular subject. Step 6: Conclude that poses is the only verb that fits the structure correctly and expresses the required meaning.

Verification / Alternative check:
Compare with similar sentences in formal writing: The problem of inequality poses a serious question, and The rise in automation poses new challenges for workers. In each case, pose is used to indicate that something raises or sets a question or problem. In this passage, targeting inflation as a policy stance naturally poses the question of whether more complicated policies might perform better, so the same verb should be used.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Shows is wrong because a question is not normally said to be shown; information or data are shown, but questions are posed or raised. Brings along is wrong because it is informal, and even then the usual phrase would be brings up a question, not brings along a question. Ask is wrong both grammatically (needs asks) and structurally, since The question that this asks is would require a different construction in the rest of the sentence.

Common Pitfalls:
One pitfall is ignoring collocations and only thinking of approximate meanings. Students may consider shows or brings along because they roughly imply that something follows from a policy, but they do not form the standard phrase with question. Another pitfall is overlooking subject verb agreement, which immediately disqualifies ask as written. Remember that academic and economic writing has its own favourite verbs, and pose with question is one of the most frequent combinations.

Final Answer:
The correct word is poses, giving The question that this poses is: are there more “complicated” policies which work better?