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Difficulty: HardSubordination and Coordination

Consider the following passage about historical preservation:

In the late twentieth century, scholars attempting to read the Archimedes Palimpsest faced a daunting task: the original mathematical treatises had been scraped away and written over by medieval scribes. Eventually, scientists employed multispectral imaging to expose the hidden text; because the faint traces of the original ink absorbed different wavelengths of light than the parchment. This breakthrough allowed historians to study long-lost works, including the 'Method of Mechanical Theorems'.

Which of the following choices to the underlined portion makes the sentence grammatically correct and logically precise?

  1. A
    text; because
  2. text, becauseAnswer
  3. C
    text, this was because
  4. D
    text. Because

Answer

The correct answer is the choice that uses a comma to connect the independent clause with the dependent clause starting with 'because'.
The correct answer uses a comma to link the preceding independent clause with the subsequent dependent clause introduced by the subordinating conjunction 'because'. A comma is the appropriate punctuation mark here to connect the clauses and establish the logical causal relationship without introducing grammatical errors.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the underlined portion and the surrounding sentence to identify the clauses.
The first part of the sentence ('Eventually, scientists employed multispectral imaging to expose the hidden text') is an independent clause. The second part ('because the faint traces of the original ink absorbed different wavelengths of light than the parchment') is a dependent clause introduced by the subordinating conjunction 'because'.
Understanding the grammatical nature of each clause is necessary to determine the correct punctuation and conjunction to link them.
2
Evaluate the punctuation needed to join these two clauses.
An independent clause and a dependent clause must not be separated by a semicolon, as a semicolon requires independent clauses on both sides. A period would turn the dependent clause into a fragment. Joining them with a comma is the correct way to connect an independent clause to a subsequent dependent clause.
Applying correct rules for subordination prevents sentence fragments and run-on sentences.
3
Select the option that properly joins the independent and dependent clauses.
The option with the comma and 'because' successfully creates a complex sentence, avoiding a semicolon error, a comma splice, or a dependent clause fragment.
This choice ensures the sentence is both grammatically correct and logically coherent.

Key Concept

Subordination and Coordination
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Topics

Subordination and Coordination

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