Set 13: Boundaries (Advanced)
Explanation
PASSAGE
The notion that economic growth inevitably leads to environmental degradation—a premise _______ much of modern environmental policy—has been challenged by proponents of sustainable development.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Detailed Answer Explanation
This question tests your understanding of sentence boundaries and punctuation. The em dash opens a parenthetical. 'A premise underlying much of modern environmental policy' is the appositive. No additional punctuation needed before 'underlying.' To determine the correct answer, examine where complete thoughts begin and end. Look for independent clauses that need proper separation. A period, semicolon, or appropriate conjunction can correctly join or separate these ideas. When analyzing sentence boundaries, pay attention to how ideas flow from one sentence to the next. Correct punctuation ensures clarity and prevents confusion for readers. Review the options carefully to identify which choice creates proper sentence structure.
Key Evidence:
• "em dash opens parenthetical"
• "participial phrase"
Why others are wrong: A (Comma after em dash is incorrect.), B ('That underlies' is grammatically correct but disrupts parallelism with closing em dash.), D (Semicolon after em dash is incorrect.).
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