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Difficulty: MediumColons, Semicolons, and Dashes

Unlike other cephalopods that rely purely on camouflage, the mimic octopus (*Thaumoctopus mimicus*) employs a dynamic predator-deterrence strategy ______ by contorting its body and adjusting its swimming style, it can impersonate venomous species such as lionfish and sea snakes.

Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

  1. A
    strategy, by
  2. B
    strategy; which, by
  3. strategy: byAnswer
  4. D
    strategy by

Answer

The correct punctuation is a colon followed by the preposition 'by' to introduce an explanation of the predator-deterrence strategy.
The correct option is the one that uses a colon to link the independent clauses. The clause preceding the blank is grammatically complete, and the clause following the blank explains the specific nature of the octopus's strategy. A colon is standard punctuation for introducing an explanation or illustration in this context.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the grammatical structure of the clauses before and after the blank.
The clause before the blank is independent, and the clause after the blank is also independent.
Determining clause independence helps identify which punctuation marks can be used to join them.
2
Evaluate the logical relationship between the two independent clauses.
The second clause explains and elaborates on the predator-deterrence strategy mentioned in the first clause.
A colon is the appropriate punctuation mark to introduce an explanation or elaboration that follows an independent clause.

Key Concept

Using colons to link independent clauses when the second clause explains or illustrates the first.
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Topics

Colons, Semicolons, and Dashes

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