Set 11: Form, Structure & Sense
Explanation
PASSAGE
The organism's ability to survive without water for extended periods, an adaptation to arid _______ enables it to thrive in environments inhospitable to most life forms.
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. The appositive 'an adaptation to arid environments' is parenthetical. A comma closes this phrase before the main verb 'enables.' 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 organism's ability...an adaptation to arid"
• "enables it to thrive"
Why others are wrong: B (Missing punctuation fails to close the appositive phrase.), C (A semicolon is too strong for closing an appositive.), A (A colon doesn't fit for closing an appositive.).
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