During the late Renaissance, the Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator revolutionized maritime navigation with the introduction of his 1569 world map. Designed primarily to assist sailors, this projection _______ allowed mariners to steer ships across vast oceans without constantly adjusting their bearings. Although the map distorted the relative size of landmasses near the poles, its utility for navigation made it an enduring standard in cartography.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
- A, which represented sailing courses of constant angle as straight lines—
- B—which represented sailing courses of constant angle as straight lines,
- —which represented sailing courses of constant angle as straight lines—Answer
- Dwhich represented sailing courses of constant angle as straight lines
Answer
The correct option is the one that sets off the nonessential relative clause with matching em dashes: '—which represented sailing courses of constant angle as straight lines—'.
The correct answer properly sets off the nonessential relative clause 'which represented sailing courses of constant angle as straight lines' with matching em dashes. In English grammar, nonessential elements—which provide supplementary information that can be removed without altering the sentence's basic meaning—must be set off with symmetrical punctuation (either two commas, two parentheses, or two em dashes).
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Punctuation of Nonessential Elements