1. Which of the following is the best version of the underlined portion of sentence 13 (reproduced below)? But hunters capable of successfully hunting either aggressive animal should prefer buffalo; since one reaps more food from a larger animal.
Answer: B
Hunters capable of successfully hunting either aggressive animal should prefer buffalo; since one reaps more food from a larger animal.
The best version of the underlined portion is "buffalo: since," as it correctly uses a colon to introduce the explanation that follows regarding the benefits of hunting buffalo.
A) (as it is now)
This option maintains the original phrasing, which incorrectly uses a semicolon before "since." A semicolon is not appropriate here as it suggests a stronger separation between clauses than is warranted, making the sentence grammatically incorrect.
B) buffalo: since
This option correctly employs a colon to indicate that what follows is an explanation or elaboration of the preceding clause. It effectively clarifies the reason hunters should prefer buffalo, making it the best choice.
C) buffalo,
While this option replaces the semicolon with a comma, it creates a comma splice, improperly joining two independent clauses. This results in a grammatical error that diminishes the clarity and flow of the sentence.
D) buffalo since
This option lacks punctuation between the two clauses, leading to a run-on sentence. The absence of punctuation makes it unclear where one thought ends and the next begins, adversely affecting readability.
Conclusion
Option B, "buffalo: since," is the only choice that correctly uses punctuation to clarify the relationship between the clauses, making the rationale for preferring buffalo clear and precise. All other options either maintain grammatical errors or create ambiguity, failing to convey the intended meaning effectively.