Discovered in 1974 in China, a massive collection of sculptures is known as the Terracotta Army. The Army is a funerary art collection that depicts the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China.
Which choice most effectively combines the two sentences?
A funerary art collection that depicts the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China, the Terracotta Army is a massive collection of sculptures discovered in 1974 in China.
A funerary art collection that was discovered in 1974 was the Terracotta Army in China, which depicts the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China.
A massive collection of sculptures discovered in 1974 in China is the Terracotta Army—a funerary art collection depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China.
In China in 1974, the Terracotta Army was discovered as a massive collection of sculptures that depicts the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China.
Correct Answer: C
Choice C is the best answer. It uses an em dash to introduce the definition of the Terracotta Army as a "funerary art collection," creating a sophisticated and clear sentence structure.
Choice A is incorrect because the introductory phrase is long and separates the subject ("Terracotta Army") from the predicate in a way that can be hard to follow. Choice B is incorrect because the passive construction ("was discovered... was the Terracotta Army") is clunky and repetitive. Choice D is incorrect because it separates the discovery date and location from the subject in an awkward manner.