Set 10: Form, Structure & Sense
Explanation
PASSAGE
The treaty negotiations, protracted and frequently contentious though they _______ ultimately produced an agreement acceptable to all parties.
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 function and text organization. 'Protracted and frequently contentious though they were' is a concessive clause (inverted 'though they were protracted'). A comma closes this clause before 'ultimately produced.' Each sentence in a well-constructed text serves a specific purpose. Consider what role this sentence plays in the argument: does it introduce, support, contrast, or conclude an idea? Understanding why an author includes specific sentences helps you grasp the overall argument. Each sentence should serve a clear purpose: introducing ideas, providing evidence, acknowledging counterarguments, or drawing conclusions. Identify the role to understand the structure.
Key Evidence:
• "The treaty negotiations, protracted and frequently contentious though they"
• "ultimately produced an agreement"
Why others are wrong: B (Missing punctuation fails to close the concessive clause.), A (A semicolon is too strong for closing a concessive clause.), D (A colon doesn't fit for closing a concessive clause.).
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