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Difficulty: EasyColons, Semicolons, and Dashes

Complete the passage by entering the punctuation mark that correctly joins the two independent clauses.

Answer:In 1977, deep-sea explorers discovered hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor, revealing complex ecosystems that thrive in complete darkness. These vents spew superheated, mineral-rich water directly into the ocean【;】 strange organisms like giant tube worms use these minerals to generate energy. Because this process does not require sunlight, these ecosystems exist completely independent of solar energy.

Answer

A semicolon (;) is the correct punctuation mark to join the two independent clauses.
A semicolon is used to connect two closely related independent clauses when no coordinating conjunction is present.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the clause structures surrounding the blank.
The clause before the blank ('These vents spew superheated, mineral-rich water directly into the ocean') and the clause after the blank ('strange organisms like giant tube worms use these minerals to generate energy') are both independent clauses.
Each clause contains a subject and a verb and expresses a complete thought, meaning both could stand alone as separate sentences.
2
Determine the appropriate punctuation to join the two independent clauses.
A semicolon is required to link them because there is no coordinating conjunction (such as 'and' or 'but') connecting the two sentences.
Using a comma without a conjunction would result in a comma splice, and leaving them unpunctuated would create a run-on sentence.

Key Concept

Semicolons to link independent clauses
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Topics

Colons, Semicolons, and Dashes

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