OpenSAT

Question #N771

In the 1920s, the city of Paris was a center for artistic innovation, drawing artists, writers, and musicians from around the globe. The city’s vibrant cultural scene was reflected in the work of several artistic movements, including Surrealism, Dadaism, and Cubism. It is in this context that one can understand the work of the famous French artist, Marcel Duchamp. Duchamp’s work challenged traditional notions of art and beauty, and it is often seen as a precursor to modern art. His most famous work is a piece called *Fountain*, which was a urinal that Duchamp simply signed and submitted to an art exhibition.

Which choice best combines the sentences at the underlined portion so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?

A. The city’s vibrant cultural scene was reflected in the work of several artistic movements, including Surrealism, Dadaism, and Cubism. It is in this context that one can understand the work of the famous French artist, Marcel Duchamp, who challenged traditional notions of art and beauty.

B. The city’s vibrant cultural scene was reflected in the work of several artistic movements, including Surrealism, Dadaism, and Cubism; it is in this context that one can understand the work of the famous French artist, Marcel Duchamp, who challenged traditional notions of art and beauty.

C. The city’s vibrant cultural scene was reflected in the work of several artistic movements, including Surrealism, Dadaism, and Cubism, it is in this context that one can understand the work of the famous French artist, Marcel Duchamp, who challenged traditional notions of art and beauty.

D. The city’s vibrant cultural scene was reflected in the work of several artistic movements, including Surrealism, Dadaism, and Cubism, and it is in this context that one can understand the work of the famous French artist, Marcel Duchamp, who challenged traditional notions of art and beauty.

Reveal Answer Go Back

Correct Answer is: A

The original sentence is a comma splice: two independent clauses joined together with only a comma. Choice A correctly combines the two sentences with a comma and a dependent clause. Choice B is incorrect because it uses a semicolon to join the two sentences, which is only correct when the second sentence rephrases the first sentence. Choice C is incorrect because it uses only a comma to join the two sentences, which is only correct if the second sentence is a dependent clause. Choice D is incorrect because it uses a comma and a coordinating conjunction, which would be correct if the two sentences were more closely related, but this is not the case.