Final answer:
Option A correctly punctuates the Shakespeare quote, integrating it smoothly into the sentence with proper punctuation and quotation marks while avoiding a floating quotation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct punctuation for the Shakespeare quote is demonstrated in option A: "Shakespeare writes, “We are such stuff as dreams...and our little life is rounded with a sleep.”" Here, the quotation is introduced with a comma after the reporting verb "writes," and the entire quote is enclosed in double quotation marks, with the period placed inside the closing quotation mark to follow the convention for American English punctuation.
Integrating quotations smoothly into your writing ensures that the quotes serve as evidence to support your argument or thesis statement and helps maintain the fluency of your prose. A quotation should not disrupt the flow of the text or stand alone without a clear connection to the surrounding content or argument, known as a "floating quotation." When integrating a quote into a sentence, it may occasionally require slight alterations or integration into the sentence to maintain grammatical correctness and clarity. It's essential to use quotation marks correctly to indicate clearly where the original author's words start and end.