Question

select the independent clause that would work best in the space to add meaning and interest to the passage (pollan, michael. “power steer.” new york times, 31 mar. 2002.) the urbanization of the worlds livestock is a fairly recent historical development, so it makes a certain sense that cow towns like poky feeders would recall human cities several centuries ago. as 14th - century london, the metropolitan digestion remains vividly on display: the foodstuffs coming in, the waste streaming out. similarly, there is the crowding together of recent arrivals from who knows where, combined with a lack of modern sanitation. this combination has always been a recipe for disease; ____________. the only reason contemporary animal cities arent as plague - ridden as their medieval counterparts is a single historical anomaly: the modern antibiotic. in most farms. unfortunately, considering how many people and animals are affected. before antibiotics were invented.

Explanation:

This option is an independent clause that provides a logical conclusion and new information about why contemporary animal cities are less plague - ridden, adding meaning and interest to the passage. The other options are not independent clauses. "In most farms" is a prepositional phrase, "Unfortunately, considering how many people and animals are affected" is a non - independent clause with an adverbial phrase, and "before antibiotics were invented" is a subordinate clause.

Answer:

the only reason contemporary animal cities aren't as plague - ridden as their medieval counterparts is a single historical anomaly: the modern antibiotic.