10. Which is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 12 (reproduced below)? Mason's new study is one of many that are changing how scientists think about empathy and altruism, namely: that such characteristics are not limited to people, as they once thought.
Answer: C
Mason's new study is one of many that are changing how scientists think about empathy and altruism, namely, that such characteristics are not limited to people, as they once thought.
The best version of the underlined portion is "altruism, namely," which correctly uses a comma to introduce the explanatory phrase that follows. This punctuation clarifies the relationship between the two ideas.
A) (as it is now)
This option retains the original punctuation, which incorrectly uses a colon. A colon should be used to introduce a list or an explanation that follows directly, but in this context, a comma is more appropriate to connect the clauses smoothly.
B) altruism: namely
This option incorrectly uses a colon instead of a comma. A colon is inappropriate here because the phrase following "namely" continues the sentence rather than presenting a separate list or explanation, making this choice grammatically incorrect.
C) altruism, namely,
This choice is correct as it uses a comma to effectively introduce the clarification about the characteristics of empathy and altruism. The commas provide the necessary pauses that enhance the readability and clarity of the sentence.
D) altruism-namely,
The use of a hyphen in this option is incorrect. A hyphen does not serve the purpose of connecting clauses in this context and disrupts the flow of the sentence, making the phrasing awkward and unclear.
Conclusion
The correct option, "altruism, namely," appropriately employs punctuation to create a clear and effective sentence structure. The other options either misuse punctuation or fail to maintain the clarity necessary for the sentence's meaning, reinforcing the importance of proper grammatical choices in academic writing.