Some more writing questions

Light_Airen
Sun, 05 Sep 2010 11:41:04 +0000

Thanks to those who helped me last time. Here are a few more for those who are interested:

1) With one of the most successful African American
businesses in history, the Motown Record Corporation
was founded in 1959 in Detroit by Berry Gordy, Jr.

(C) Being one
(D) One
(E) As one

2)First run in 1867 and still taking place every summer,
the Belmont Stakes, a horse race for thoroughbred
three-year-olds, was one of the oldest races in the
United States.

(A) was
(B) is
(E) has been

3)While Dixon’s upbeat blues compositions helped usher in the Chicago blues sound during the 1950’s and have become standard numbers for the many young rock groups trying to achieve popularity during the 1960’s.

Could “have become” be replaced with “became” or “had become”?

Thanks all in advance.