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Difficulty: Very hardColons

Although the museum curator initially cataloged the painting as a minor work from the Dutch Golden Age, subsequent chemical analysis of the pigments revealed a startling truth, the masterpiece was painted by Rembrandt himself.

Which choice best punctuates the underlined portion of the passage?

  1. A
    NO CHANGE
  2. B
    truth, which was: the masterpiece was
  3. truth: the masterpiece wasAnswer
  4. D
    truth. Because the masterpiece was

Answer

truth: the masterpiece was
The correct choice uses a colon to separate two independent clauses. The clause preceding the colon is a complete sentence, and the subsequent clause directly explains the 'startling truth' introduced in the first clause. This aligns perfectly with the standard rules for colon usage.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the clause structure preceding the underlined portion.
The segment starting from 'Although...' and ending with 'truth' consists of an introductory dependent clause followed by a main independent clause, which can stand alone as a complete sentence.
This establishes that the preceding text is grammatically capable of supporting a colon.
2
Analyze the grammatical structure of the clause following the underlined portion.
'the masterpiece was painted by Rembrandt himself' contains a subject and a verb, expressing a complete thought that can stand alone as an independent clause.
This determines the relationship between the two clauses and the appropriate punctuation needed to link them.
3
Determine the correct punctuation to join these two clauses.
A colon is the correct punctuation mark here because it separates two independent clauses where the second clause explains or amplifies the first.
This allows for the elimination of options that introduce comma splices, fragments, or incomplete clauses before the colon.

Key Concept

A colon must be preceded by an independent clause (a complete thought) and can be used to join two independent clauses when the second clause directly explains, illustrates, or amplifies the first.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Colons

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