Question 231·Hard·Boundaries
The conference panel focused on the _____ eudaimonia, often translated as "human flourishing," a term that encompasses far more than mere happiness.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For boundaries questions, identify whether the text after the blank is an independent clause or an item/explanation being introduced. Use a semicolon only between two independent clauses; use a colon after a complete clause to introduce an example, definition, or list item (often signaled by phrases like "the following").
Hints
Use the cue phrase
The words "the following" usually signal that an example or item is about to be named.
Check what comes after the blank
After the blank comes eudaimonia, which is a term being introduced (not a complete independent clause).
Match punctuation to function
Which punctuation mark is used to introduce an example or item after a complete clause?
Rule out the semicolon
A semicolon needs an independent clause on both sides—does the text after the blank have a verb and form a full clause?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify what the sentence is doing
The sentence is setting up a specific item the panel discussed, and the cue phrase "the following" indicates that the next words will name that item.
Choose punctuation that introduces an item
A colon is used after a complete clause to introduce an example, explanation, or list item. Here, it introduces the item eudaimonia.
Eliminate choices that don’t fit the structure
- A comma cannot introduce an item this way after an independent clause.
- ", while" wrongly suggests a subordinate clause will follow, but the text after the blank is not a full clause.
- A semicolon must separate two independent clauses, but what follows is a noun phrase (the item), not an independent clause.
Select the correct choice
The choice that correctly introduces the item is "following:".