Final answer:
In a work of literature, when writing about an historical event outside the story, the past tense should be used.
Step-by-step explanation:
If you write about an historical event that occurred outside the story in a work of literature, you should use the past tense. The use of past tense is appropriate because you are describing an event that has already taken place. For example, if you are writing about World War II in a story, you would use past tense to describe the events that happened during that time. Using present or future tense would imply that the event is yet to occur or is ongoing, which would not be accurate for a historical event that has already happened.
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