Some of the most influential painters of the _______ all began their careers in Florence as part of the artistic rebirth of Europe.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Renaissance-Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael,
Renaissance—Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael—
Renaissance; Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael,
Renaissance Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael,
Correct Answer: B
Choice B is the best answer. The list of names "Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael" acts as an appositive or interrupter defining "painters." Since the sentence continues after the list ("all began their careers..."), dashes are an effective way to set off a list that contains internal commas. If a dash is used at the start, a dash must be used at the end.
Choice A is incorrect because it pairs a dash with a comma. Choice C is incorrect because a semicolon is not used to introduce a list in this manner. Choice D is incorrect because it lacks punctuation to introduce the list.