Utah hosts a prestigious cinema gathering every winter. The Sundance Film Festival is an annual event, established in 1978 that showcases independent filmmakers from around the globe.
Which choice most effectively combines the two sentences at the underlined portion?
gathering; since 1978, the Sundance Film Festival has showcased independent filmmakers from around the globe.
gathering and in 1978, the annual Sundance Film Festival was established to showcase independent filmmakers from around the globe.
gathering; independent filmmakers from around the globe at the Sundance Film Festival have been showcased annually since 1978.
gathering and the Sundance Film Festival is an annual event, established in 1978, that showcases independent filmmakers from around the globe.
Correct Answer: D
Choice D is the best answer. It combines the sentences by treating "the Sundance Film Festival" as the subject of the second clause, using an appositive ("established in 1978") and a relative clause ("that showcases...") to provide details efficiently.
Choice A is incorrect because "since 1978" acts as a modifier for "has showcased" but loses the definition of the festival as an "annual event." Choice B is incorrect because "and in 1978" creates a loose compound sentence that is less cohesive. Choice C is incorrect because the passive voice ("have been showcased") makes the sentence wordy and less direct.