Examkin

Question

Difficulty: HardCommas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements

In 1967, postgraduate student Jocelyn Bell Burnell detected a series of anomalous, highly regular radio signals. Her supervisor initially dismissed the pulses as man-made interference. However, Burnell, who kept analyzing the data meticulously, soon realized that the signals that she recorded were originating from a rapidly spinning neutron star.

Which choice most effectively punctuates the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. NO CHANGEAnswer
  2. B
    Burnell, who kept analyzing the data meticulously soon realized that the signals that she recorded
  3. C
    Burnell; who kept analyzing the data meticulously, soon realized that the signals that she recorded
  4. D
    Burnell, who kept analyzing the data meticulously, soon realized that the signals, that she recorded,

Answer

NO CHANGE
The correct answer maintains the proper punctuation for both clauses. The nonessential clause 'who kept analyzing the data meticulously' is correctly set off with a matched pair of commas, and the restrictive clause 'that she recorded' is correctly left without commas.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the nonessential elements and restrictive clauses in the underlined portion.
The clause 'who kept analyzing the data meticulously' is a nonessential relative clause modifying 'Burnell', while 'that she recorded' is a restrictive relative clause modifying 'signals'.
Relative clauses modifying proper nouns are nonessential because the referent is already unique. Relative clauses beginning with 'that' are restrictive.
2
Evaluate the choices based on standard punctuation rules for nonessential and restrictive elements.
A pair of commas must enclose 'who kept analyzing the data meticulously', whereas no commas should surround 'that she recorded'.
Nonessential elements must be fully set off with commas (parenthetical pair), and restrictive elements must never be separated from their referent with commas.

Key Concept

Commas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements
Rate this question

Topics

Commas with Nonessential and Parenthetical Elements

More questions from this topic