(1) Many people confuse the Belgian Malinois, a breed of dog that originated in the country of Belgium, with the characteristics of the German Shepherd. (2) Both dogs have many similarities that cause this confusion. (3) The Malinois and the Shepherd look similar in appearance. (4) A closer look will show differences that set the two breeds apart from one another. (5) The Malinois has a short-haired coat with longer hair along the back of the hind legs, while the Shepherd has an all-over long coat. (6) The Malinois is usually light tan in color, with darker coloration only on the face, but the Shepherd, while also light tan in color, tends to have large areas of dark color on its back and tail, in addition to on its face. (7) Both breeds of dog are about the same height and weight, but the Shepherd has a body type that is unique to its breed, its hindquarters appear to be lower that its shoulders, giving the illusion that it is walking uphill, even on flat ground. (8) It has a more standard conformation, with its hindquarters and shoulders standing at the same height. (9) Both breeds of dogs do, however, have similar personality traits. (10) They are devoted companions, have a tendency to be protective of their owners and their property, have strong herding instincts, and are very intelligent. (11) Both dogs are used for police work and as guide dogs for the sight-impaired. (12) Their loyalty, courage and intelligence make them the perfect working dog or family pet.
Question:
Which of the following is the best way to divide the sentence 6 into two separate sentences?
The Malinois is usually light tan in color, with darker coloration only on the face, but the Shepherd, while also light tan in color, tends to have large areas of dark color on its back and tail, in addition to on its face.
Choices:
A.
The Malinois is usually light tan in color, with darker coloration only on the face. The Shepherd, while also light tan in color, tends to have large areas of dark color on its back and tail, as well as its face.
B.
The Malinois is usually light tan in color, with darker coloration only on the face. So the Shepherd, while also light tan in color, tends to have large areas of dark color on its back and tail, as well as its face.
C.
The Malinois is usually light tan in color, with darker coloration only on the face. Despite this, the Shepherd, while also light tan in color, tends to have large areas of dark color on its back and tail, as well as its face.
D.
The Malinois is usually light tan in color, with darker coloration only on the face. Of course the Shepherd, while also light tan in color, tends to have large areas of dark color on its back and tail, as well as its face.
E.
The Malinois is usually light tan in color, with darker coloration only on the face. However, the Shepherd, while also light tan in color, tends to have large areas of dark color on its back and tail, in addition to on its face.
Choice (A), while grammatically correct, does not clearly notify the reader that a contrasting characteristic of the Shepherd is following. The use of the word "but" in the original sentence clearly indicates the author's intent to do exactly this, so our revision needs to do the same. Choice (B) can be eliminated as well: beginning a sentence with "so" falsely links the coloring of the Shepherd to that of the Malinois, as though one were a result of the other. Choice (C) contains a similar error to that in (B): "despite" creates that same false relationship. Choice (D) is incorrect for the same reason as choice (A): "of course" does not clearly signify the upcoming contrast.
