Question 174·200 Super-Hard SAT Reading Questions·Standard English Conventions
To chart the spread of a folk song, linguist Marisol Chen mapped recordings made by travelers, radio hosts, and school choirs. Her analysis showed how the melody changed as it moved across _____ and which alterations consistently appeared in communities separated by mountain ranges.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
For boundaries questions, first identify the sentence’s core structure (main subject/verb) and then decide what the blank is connecting. If the word after the blank is a coordinator like “and,” check whether it’s joining two independent clauses (which may need a period/semicolon) or two parallel parts within one clause (which often needs no punctuation).
Hints
Locate the main verb
Find the verb in the second sentence (“showed”) and look at what it is showing.
Look at what the word “and” is connecting
Decide whether “and” is joining two full sentences or two parallel items within the same sentence.
Test for independence
Ask whether the words after the blank (“and which alterations…”) could stand alone as a complete sentence. If not, a semicolon won’t work.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the sentence’s structure
The main clause is: “Her analysis showed [X] and [Y].”
- X = “how the melody changed as it moved across provinces”
- Y = “which alterations consistently appeared …”
Check what comes right after the blank
Right after the blank is “and which alterations…,” which introduces the second coordinated element (Y) that pairs with the first one (X). The words “across provinces” belong inside X as a prepositional phrase describing where it moved.
Decide whether punctuation is needed at the boundary
Because “across provinces and which alterations…” is not two independent sentences (and because the “and” is coordinating two items after showed), you should not insert punctuation that forces a break after “provinces.”
Therefore, the best choice is “provinces”.