A mythical bird of fire, the Phoenix appears in many legends and is derived from Greek mythology. The creature can be found anywhere from the texts of Herodotus to the fiction of J.K. Rowling.
Which choice most effectively combines the sentences at the underlined portion?
creature named the Phoenix, which is derived from Greek mythology, is a creature found anywhere from
creature named the Phoenix, being derived from Greek mythology, appears in many legends; for example, it appears in both
creature derived from Greek mythology, the Phoenix can be found anywhere from
creature can be found in many legends; derived from Greek mythology and named the Phoenix, it appears in
Correct Answer: C
Choice C is the best answer. It uses a participial phrase ("Derived from Greek mythology") to modify "the Phoenix," allowing the main clause to describe where it can be found.
Choice A is incorrect because it is wordy and repetitive ("creature... is a creature"). Choice B is incorrect because "being derived" is clunky. Choice D is incorrect because it creates a run-on or awkward structure with "creature can be found... it appears."