Choose the sentence which has the appropriate use of Article/s:

The correct answer is Option (2) → The Russians sent up the first earth satellite.

The definite article with a people and with ordinals:

• The + a nationality word ending in -s or -ese names a whole people as a group: the Russians, the Japanese, the Chinese.
• The is used before ordinal numbers and words of rank, because only one thing can hold that place:
  • the first, the second, the last;
  • the best, the tallest (superlatives).
• This sentence: the people of Russia as a nation (The Russians) sent up the one satellite that came first (the first earth satellite).
  Example: Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the Moon.

Why the Other Options are Incorrect?

Option 1: Russians sent up first earth satellite. — Incorrect. Both articles are missing: "The Russians" and "the first".

Option 3: Russians sent up the first earth satellite. — Incorrect. "the first" is right, but the nation as a whole needs "The Russians".

Option 4: The Russians sent up first earth satellite. — Incorrect. The ordinal "first" needs "the" before it.