Question

which is the best way to complete the text? the voyager i space probe, launched on september 5, 1977, was equipped with a time capsule called the golden record. this capsule was loaded with images of earth and selections of popular __________ meant to educate extraterrestrials about life on earth. music, and was music and was music. and was music; since it was

Explanation:

We need to check the grammar and punctuation. "images of Earth and selections of popular music" is a list. In English, when we have a list in a sentence, if the next part is a verb - phrase related to the whole list, we use a comma before "and" (the Oxford comma is optional here but in this case, it makes the sentence structure clear). "The capsule was loaded with [list] and was meant..." is a correct structure.

• "music, and was": The comma is correct to separate the list item "selections of popular music" from the next verb - phrase "was meant".
• "music and was": Without the comma, it might seem like "popular music and was" is part of a different, incorrect structure.
• "music. And was": Using a period here breaks the sentence structure as "was meant..." should be part of the same sentence about what the capsule was loaded with and its purpose.
• "music; since it was": A semicolon is used to separate two independent clauses. Here, "was meant..." is not an independent clause that can be separated by a semicolon from the previous part.

Answer:

music, and was