SAT OwlThe fossil skeleton known as Lucy, which was discovered in Ethiopia in 1974 and which belongs to the species Australopithecus ______ is about 3.2 million years old. Its pelvis and leg bones show that Lucy walked upright.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
afarensis,
afarensis
afarensis;
afarensis, and
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A
The clause beginning "which was discovered" adds information about Lucy and opens with a comma. It must close with a comma before the main verb "is." Without that comma, the clause runs into the main verb.
Choice D adds "and," which makes "is about 3.2 million years old" part of the "which" clause and leaves the subject "The fossil skeleton" with no main verb.
Why the other choices are wrong
- B. Omitting the comma leaves the nonrestrictive clause open, causing it to run directly into the main verb "is" without proper punctuation.
- C. A semicolon is incorrect here because it separates two parts of a single sentence rather than ending the nonrestrictive clause before the main verb.
- D. Adding "and" makes "is about 3.2 million years old" part of the relative clause, leaving the subject "The fossil skeleton" without a main verb.
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