The 1960 founding of the Mexican American Political Association and the 1946 Mendez v. Westminster court decision are regarded as important events in US civil rights _____ former establishing a Latino rights advocacy group and the latter legally affirming the rights of Latino students.
Which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of Standard English?
Explanation
Context: The sentence reads: "The 1960 founding of the Mexican American Political Association and the 1946 Mendez v. Westminster court decision are regarded as important events in US civil rights history, the former establishing a Latino rights advocacy group and the latter legally affirming the rights of Latino students." The phrase after the blank is a describing phrase explaining the two events, not a new independent clause.
Answer: C) history, the
Why? A comma after "history" correctly introduces the explanatory phrase "the former establishing a Latino rights advocacy group and the latter legally affirming the rights of Latino students."
Traps:
- A) "history the" → no comma before the explanatory phrase creates a run-on
- B) "history, as the" → "as the" changes the meaning and creates an incorrect structure
- D) "history. The" → a period creates a sentence fragment, since "the former establishing...and the latter legally affirming..." is not an independent clause