Question 92·Medium·Boundaries
Some small gourmet shops thrive by focusing on niche products: Oakwood Market, for example, sells rare truffles, handcrafted chocolates, and imported cheeses that, because of strict import _____ are available only in limited quantities.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For punctuation and boundary questions, first strip the sentence down to its core subject and verb to see how the clause should read without interruptions. Then identify any interrupting or nonessential phrases and make sure they are correctly set off—usually with matching commas, or with matching dashes if used for emphasis. Before choosing colons or dashes, always check that the text before them is a complete sentence; if it isn’t, you almost certainly need a comma instead. Finally, reread the sentence with your choice to confirm that both grammar and meaning stay clear.
Hints
Look at the phrase around the blank
Reread the part from "that" through "are available": that, because of strict import regulations _____ are available only in limited quantities. Decide which words form a side comment or explanation.
Notice the comma before the interrupting phrase
There is already a comma before "because of strict import regulations." Ask yourself: does this phrase need to be set off on both sides? If so, what kind of punctuation usually pairs with a comma in this situation?
Check if a colon or dash is appropriate
For a colon or a dash, the part before the punctuation usually must be a complete thought. Read only up to "regulations". Is that portion a complete sentence on its own?
Test the meaning without punctuation
Imagine there is no punctuation after "regulations". What becomes the subject of the verb "are"? Does that match what the sentence is trying to say?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the sentence structure
Read the whole sentence around the blank:
"...imported cheeses that, because of strict import regulations _____ are available only in limited quantities."
Focus on the chunk: that, because of strict import regulations _____ are available only in limited quantities.
You need punctuation after "regulations" that keeps the sentence clear and grammatically complete.
Identify the interrupting phrase
The words "because of strict import regulations" explain why the cheeses are available only in limited quantities. This is an interrupting (nonessential) phrase inside the clause that begins with "that".
We already see a comma before this phrase: that, because of strict import regulations _____ are available...
When you have an interrupting phrase in the middle of a sentence, you usually set it off with two matching punctuation marks (most commonly, a pair of commas).
Check for sentence completeness before using strong punctuation
Test what comes before and after the blank to see if stronger punctuation (a colon or dash) would be appropriate.
- Before the blank:
imported cheeses that, because of strict import regulations- This is not a complete sentence; it does not have a main verb for "cheeses that ...".
- After the blank:
are available only in limited quantities- This is the verb and rest of the clause that completes the idea.
Because the text before the blank is not an independent clause, you cannot correctly use a colon or dash there.
Match the opening comma and avoid changing the meaning
If you choose no punctuation, the words would read as "regulations are available," which incorrectly makes "regulations" the subject of the verb "are" and breaks the intended meaning.
To keep the intended meaning (the cheeses are available only in limited quantities) and properly close the interrupting phrase, you must use a comma after "regulations" to match the earlier comma after "that".
Therefore, the correct choice is A) regulations,.