Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumClause Boundaries and Linking

To determine the atmospheric composition of distant exoplanets, astronomers use a technique known as transmission spectroscopy. As an exoplanet passes in front of its host star, some of the starlight passes through the planet’s atmosphere ______ gases in the atmosphere absorb specific wavelengths of light, leaving distinct dark lines in the star's spectrum.

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

  1. ; gasesAnswer
  2. B
    , gases
  3. C
    gases
  4. D
    although gases

Answer

The choice '; gases' is correct because it uses a semicolon to properly join two independent clauses.
The correct option '; gases' is correct because a semicolon is an appropriate punctuation mark to link two independent clauses. The clause before the blank ('As an exoplanet... atmosphere') and the clause after the blank ('gases... spectrum') are both independent, meaning they can each stand alone as a complete sentence. A semicolon properly connects them without the need for a coordinating conjunction.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the clause boundaries in the sentence.
The text before the blank ('As an exoplanet passes in front of its host star, some of the starlight passes through the planet’s atmosphere') is a complete independent clause. The text after the blank ('gases in the atmosphere absorb specific wavelengths of light, leaving distinct dark lines in the star's spectrum') is also a complete independent clause.
Analyzing the grammatical structure of the clauses determines how they should be linked.
2
Evaluate the grammatical rules for linking two independent clauses.
Two independent clauses can be joined by a period, a semicolon, a colon, a dash, or a comma paired with a coordinating conjunction (such as 'and', 'but', or 'so').
Standard English conventions dictate which punctuation marks and conjunctions can successfully connect independent clauses.
3
Test the choices against the grammatical rules.
The option with a semicolon successfully links the clauses. The option with a comma creates a comma splice. The option with no punctuation creates a run-on. The option with 'although' creates a logical contrast error and a grammatical fragment.
Eliminating grammatically incorrect and logically contradictory options leaves the correct answer.

Key Concept

Clause Boundaries and Linking
Rate this question

Topics

Clause Boundaries and Linking

More questions from this topic