In 2001 the UK National Census recorded that more than 1 in 20 Londoners were of black African descent, a figure that has continued to rise in the years since. Modern British life and culture now have a strong African component. This development is merely the latest chapter in the history of relations between Africa and western Europe, and in that long and turbulent history the Benin Bronzes, as they used to be known, hold a unique place.

How does the author engage the reader?

a
by giving an anecdote that makes the reader interested in modern British life
b
by providing a quotation that makes the reader interested in current census data
c
by presenting a series of interesting facts that make the reader curious about the significance of the Benin Bronzes
d
by providing a description of the Benin Bronzes that makes the reader interested in how they were made