Fatoumata Keita is a novelist from Baguinéda, Mali, who has earned international acclaim in recent years. Writers of other literary forms, such as poetry and drama, are less likely to be recognized beyond their nations' borders, but many are still well _____ Fama Diagne Sène, for example, is a celebrated playwright from Senegal.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Explanation
Context: The sentence reads: "Writers of other literary forms, such as poetry and drama, are less likely to be recognized beyond their nations' borders, but many are still well known: Fama Diagne Sène, for example, is a celebrated playwright from Senegal." The clause after the blank gives a specific example illustrating the claim before the blank.
Answer: A) known:
Why? A colon after "known" correctly introduces the specific example that elaborates on the claim: Fama Diagne Sène as an example of a well-known writer.
Traps:
- B) "known and" → "and" treats the example as a second, coordinate independent clause rather than an illustration of the first
- C) "known," → a comma cannot join two independent clauses; this creates a comma splice
- D) "known" → no punctuation produces a run-on sentence