Question

which is the best way to complete the text? the la brea tar pits formed from crude oil that seeped through fissures in the earth’s ______ fossilized remains of at least fifty - nine species of mammals from the pleistocene epoch have been found in the pits. crust, or the crust. because the crust, the crust. the

Explanation:

We need a phrase that correctly connects the two related but independent statements about the La Brea tar pits: how they formed, and the fossils found there.

1. "crust, or the" creates an illogical choice between the crust and the fossils, which makes no sense.
2. "crust. Because the" would leave the second clause dependent and incomplete ("Because the fossilized remains... have been found" does not explain the first sentence).
3. "crust, the" results in a run-on sentence, incorrectly joining two independent clauses with just a comma.
4. "crust. The" correctly uses a period to separate the two complete, related statements: first explaining the formation of the pits, then introducing the fossil discovery.

Answer:

crust. The