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Difficulty: Very hardSubordination and Coordination

In the 1950s, geologist Marie Tharp painstakingly plotted sonar data to map the ocean floor; her maps eventually revealed the massive Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Although her colleague Bruce Heezen initially dismissed her discovery as 'girl talk,' he later admitted she was correct, and the scientific community was forced to accept the reality of continental drift.

Which of the following choices best maintains the grammatical correctness of the underlined portion of the sentence?

  1. NO CHANGEAnswer
  2. B
    Although her colleague Bruce Heezen initially dismissed her discovery as 'girl talk'; he later admitted she was correct, and
  3. C
    Her colleague Bruce Heezen initially dismissed her discovery as 'girl talk,' he later admitted she was correct, and
  4. D
    Although her colleague Bruce Heezen initially dismissed her discovery as 'girl talk,' but he later admitted she was correct, and

Answer

The option that retains the original sentence structure (NO CHANGE)
The correct answer properly subordinates the introductory concessive clause using the subordinating conjunction 'Although' and coordinates the subsequent independent clause using a comma followed by the coordinating conjunction 'and'. This creates a grammatically correct complex-compound sentence.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the structure of the underlined portion and the surrounding sentence to identify the clauses.
The sentence contains three clauses: an introductory concessive clause ('Although... dismissed...'), a main independent clause ('he later admitted...'), and a coordinated independent clause ('the scientific community was forced...').
Understanding clause boundaries is essential for evaluating coordination and subordination rules.
2
Evaluate the punctuation and conjunctions connecting these clauses in the original sentence.
The dependent clause starting with 'Although' is separated from the main clause by a comma. The two independent clauses are connected by a comma and the coordinating conjunction 'and'. This structure is grammatically correct.
This establishes the baseline correctness of the original construction.
3
Evaluate the distractors for grammatical errors such as run-ons, comma splices, or fragments.
The option using a semicolon creates a fragment by separating a dependent clause from an independent clause. The option without 'Although' creates a comma splice. The option with 'Although' and 'but' creates a double-conjunction fragment.
This confirms that the other options introduce grammatical errors.

Key Concept

Subordination and Coordination
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Subordination and Coordination

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