Difficulty: Easy

Average Score: 91%

Which of the following is punctuated correctly?

Rationale

"It is a false analogy with science," claims historian Jacques Barzun, "that makes one think latest is best."

This sentence is punctuated correctly as it appropriately places commas to separate the reporting clause from the quoted material, maintaining clarity and flow. The commas before and after the reporting phrase "claims historian Jacques Barzun" correctly indicate the structure of the quotation.

A ("It is a false analogy with science, claims historian Jacques Barzun, that makes one think latest is best.") YOUR ANSWER

This option incorrectly places the commas as it disrupts the flow of the quotation. The reporting clause "claims historian Jacques Barzun" should be set off by commas, but the first comma interrupts the quote improperly, making it confusing and grammatically incorrect.

B ("It is a false analogy with science" claims historian Jacques Barzun "that makes one think latest is best.") YOUR ANSWER

This choice lacks necessary punctuation between the quoted segments and the reporting clause. There should be a comma after "science" to introduce the reporting clause, and another comma before "that" to separate the end of the quote from the subsequent clause, which makes this option incorrect.

C ("It is a false analogy with science," claims historian Jacques Barzun, "that makes one think latest is best.") CORRECT

This is the correct option as it properly uses commas to separate the quotation from the reporting clause, allowing for clear readability and correct punctuation.

D ("It is a false analogy with science," claims historian Jacques Barzun, that makes one think latest is best.) YOUR ANSWER

This option incorrectly omits the quotation marks around "that makes one think latest is best." The phrase is part of the original quote and should be enclosed in quotation marks to maintain the integrity of the cited material.

Conclusion

Punctuation is crucial for clarity and meaning in written text. Option C exemplifies correct punctuation by properly integrating the reporting clause with the quotation, ensuring that the sentence flows logically and maintains grammatical standards. Other options fail to adhere to these conventions, which ultimately obscures the intended meaning.

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