If you are going to write a short story, you don't need to make things up entirely.
You should always use as much creativity as you can, but you can also take elements from real life and incorporate it in your story.
The word could be a series of past tense words
I slept late this morning
I bathed late this morning
But the words that make most sense to me is
I ate late this morning
I believe that the best answer for this question is "are." You are referring to two parties here, both the lion tamer and the clowns. This would mean that your applicable verbs must also be plural. Since "are" is the plural version of "is," it is the most suitable word to use in this situation. Hope this helps.
Answer:
The book discusses various possibilities of advanced technology that can alter the brain and mind. Looking into things such as telepathy, telekinesis, consciousness, artificial intelligence, and transhumanism, the book covers a wide range of topics. In it, Kaku proposes a "spacetime theory of consciousness".
Explanation:
Hope it helps ya!!
~Mylie~