Read the sentence. Indeed, without immediate help, many people in America face a startling dilemma hunger. Which is the best way
to punctuate the sentence? Indeed, without immediate help, many people in America face a startling dilemma, hunger. Indeed, without immediate help, many people in America face: a startling dilemma, hunger. Indeed, without immediate help, many people in America face a startling dilemma; hunger. Indeed, without immediate help, many people in America face a startling dilemma: hunger.
Answer: D) Indeed, without immediate help, many people in America face a startling dilemma: hunger.
Explanation: We use commas when we need to separate two clauses that have "but" or "and" in between, we use semicolons when we have to separate two independent clauses that don't have any conjunction, and we use a colon when we want to introduce an enumeration, or when we will introduce an explanation of the precedent clause. In this case, we are introducing an explanation because we are clarifying that the dilemma is hunger, so we use a colon.
Commas don't just signify pauses in a sentence — precise rules govern when to use this punctuation mark. Commas are needed before coordinating conjunctions, after dependent clauses (when they precede independent clauses), and to set off appositives.
