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Question

Difficulty: EasyPunctuation of Nonessential Elements

In 1912, German meteorologist Alfred Wegener proposed the revolutionary theory of continental drift. Wegener _______ argued that Earth’s continents were once joined in a giant supercontinent called Pangaea before slowly drifting to their current positions. Although his ideas were initially rejected by contemporary geologists, they eventually laid the crucial groundwork for the modern theory of plate tectonics.

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

  1. —who was initially dismissed by his peers—Answer
  2. B
    , who was initially dismissed by his peers—
  3. C
    —who was initially dismissed by his peers,
  4. D
    who was initially dismissed by his peers

Answer

—who was initially dismissed by his peers—
The correct answer correctly uses a pair of matching em dashes to set off the nonessential relative clause describing Wegener, conforming to standard punctuation rules.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the clause following the subject 'Wegener' to determine if it is essential or nonessential.
The clause 'who was initially dismissed by his peers' provides descriptive, nonessential details about Wegener that are not required to identify him.
Nonessential information must be set off from the rest of the sentence with matching punctuation marks.
2
Evaluate the options for correct and symmetrical punctuation.
The option with matching em dashes correctly isolates the nonessential clause, whereas the other options either mix punctuation marks or omit them entirely.
Standard English conventions require nonessential elements to be enclosed by a pair of matching commas, dashes, or parentheses.

Key Concept

Punctuation of Nonessential Elements
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Punctuation of Nonessential Elements

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