OpenSAT

Question #N1046

Which choice correctly punctuates the following sentence? The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates believed that a life unexamined was not worth living, and that the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom was essential to a fulfilling existence.

A. The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates believed that a life unexamined was not worth living, and that the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom was essential to a fulfilling existence.

B. The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates believed that a life unexamined was not worth living; and that the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom was essential to a fulfilling existence.

C. The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates believed that a life unexamined was not worth living, and; that the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom was essential to a fulfilling existence.

D. The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates believed that a life unexamined was not worth living; that the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom was essential to a fulfilling existence.

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Correct Answer is: A

The correct answer is A. A comma is used to separate two independent clauses that are joined by a coordinating conjunction. Semicolons are used to separate two independent clauses that are not joined by a coordinating conjunction, but the two clauses must be closely related. A semicolon can also be used to separate items in a series when there is a comma within the series. A dash is used to separate a parenthetical element from the rest of the sentence. A colon can be used to introduce a list or a series. In this sentence, the two independent clauses are joined by the coordinating conjunction "and." Therefore, a comma is the correct punctuation to separate the two independent clauses. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because they use incorrect punctuation to separate the two independent clauses.