Step 1: In simple astigmatism one principal meridian is in focus (emmetropic) and the other is not. So the spherical component is zero ("plano") and the refractive error is corrected entirely by a cylinder.
Step 2: In simple MYOPIC astigmatism the out-of-focus meridian is myopic, which is corrected by a minus cylinder. Therefore the prescription reads plano with a minus cylinder, i.e. "plano (-)". That is option b.
Step 3: Why the others are wrong: a "(+) sphere" (option a) is simple hyperopia (a pure spherical plus correction), and a "(-) sphere" (option c) is simple myopia, not astigmatism, because both meridians share the same error. Option d, with opposite-sign powers in the two meridians (one plus, one minus), describes mixed astigmatism.
Step 4: So the only entry with a plano sphere plus a minus cylinder, the signature of simple myopic astigmatism, is option b.