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Difficulty: MediumSubordination and Coordination

In 1965, chemist Stephanie Kwolek synthesized a new polymer solution that was unusually thin and cloudy. Although other researchers might have discarded the mixture because it did not look promising, Kwolek insisted on testing it; this decision ultimately led to the invention of Kevlar.

Which choice best completes the sentence while maintaining standard English punctuation and clause structure?

  1. NO CHANGEAnswer
  2. B
    Although other researchers might have discarded the mixture because it did not look promising; Kwolek insisted on testing it
  3. C
    Other researchers might have discarded the mixture because it did not look promising, Kwolek insisted on testing it
  4. D
    Since other researchers might have discarded the mixture because it did not look promising, and Kwolek insisted on testing it

Answer

NO CHANGE
The correct option is correct because the subordinating conjunction 'Although' properly establishes a relationship of contrast between the two parts of the first sentence. The dependent clause is correctly followed by a comma and the main independent clause, forming a grammatically sound unit that can be linked to the next sentence with a semicolon.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the structure of the original sentence to determine the relationship between the clauses.
The sentence contains two main parts separated by a semicolon. The first part, which is underlined, consists of a dependent clause starting with 'Although' followed by an independent clause. The second part after the semicolon is another independent clause ('this decision ultimately led to the invention of Kevlar').
Understanding clause boundaries helps identify whether the punctuation and conjunctions are used correctly.
2
Evaluate the grammar of the underlined portion in the original sentence.
The subordinating conjunction 'Although' correctly makes the first clause dependent, which is then properly joined to the main independent clause ('Kwolek insisted on testing it') with a comma. This creates a grammatically complete independent unit before the semicolon.
This confirms that the original phrasing is grammatically correct and requires no modification.
3
Verify why the alternative options are incorrect.
Using a semicolon after the 'Although' clause creates a fragment. Removing 'Although' creates a comma splice between two independent clauses. Using 'Since' and 'and' makes the entire first part a dependent fragment.
Evaluating all options ensures that the distractors are incorrect for specific, identifiable grammatical errors.

Key Concept

Subordination and Coordination
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Topics

Subordination and Coordination

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