Question

elie retailleau and his colleagues attached valvometers to great scallops to measure the bivalves biological rhythms. the researchers found that the scallops followed a consistent 24-hour cycle, opening valves more widely at night than during the day. this circadian rhythm responded strongly to artificial variations in ambient light. which choice completes the text so that it conforms to the conventions of standard english? a its b their c its d theyre

Explanation:

We need to choose the correct possessive pronoun for "scallops" (plural noun). "Its" (A) is singular possessive, "it's" (C) is a contraction for "it is", "they're" (D) is a contraction for "they are". "Their" (B) is the plural possessive pronoun that matches the plural subject "scallops" to show ownership of the valves.

Answer:

B. their