Sentence:  Although the United States and the U. S. S. R. have been arguing whether there shall <WSD>be</WSD> four , five or six top assistants , the most important element in the situation is not the number of deputies but the manner in which these deputies are to do their work . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  happen, occur, take place; this was during the visit to my parents' house"