[Grammar] toeic exam relatively

[kiann]

1.The Business Now Series is now available for the low introductory taste of $199 for the first year.
That's less than $17 a month to stay______of the latest topics affecting business today!
(a)informing
(b)to inform
(c)informed
(d)inform
why answer is (c), i don't know how to recognize?

2.I_____that the application from for the mortgage loan was received and final decision will be made soon.
(a)assured
(b)have assured
(c)was assured
(d)was assuring
i think answer is(a), but why is (c)

Please everyone help me.

 

[Matthew Wai]

why answer is (c), i don't know how to recognize?

'Informed' is an adjective here, see http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/informed

i think answer is(a), but why is (c)

Because the speaker was assured by someone else, see http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/assure

Not a teacher.

 

[MikeNewYork]

In the second, the verb is in the passive voice, because someone else assured you.