1. After this year’s record-shattering January performance in Madison Square Garden, the ensemble were touted as the country’s best new group in decades; no critic or reviewer had anything but praise for the young musicians.

(A) the ensemble were touted as the country’s

(B) the ensemble was touted as the country’s

(C) the country touted the ensemble like the

(D) touting the ensemble as the country’s（B）

(E) they were touting the ensemble as the country’s

请教NNthe ensemble这个集体名词到底是复数还是单数。谢谢。