there(isn't )any rice in the bowl.there (were) many apples on the tree last year
There be句型遵循就近原则,如果离be最近的名词是单数或不可数,用is/ was,如是名词复数,用are/ were.
这里rice是不可数名词,用is ,apples是复数,用were,因句中的时间状语是last year,用过去时