SAT OwlQuestion bank / Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• Octavia E. Butler (1947–2006) was an American science fiction writer.
• Her novels include Kindred (1979) and Parable of the Sower (1993).
• In 1995, she became the first science fiction writer to receive a MacArthur Fellowship.
• The MacArthur Fellowship is a large grant awarded to people who show exceptional creativity.
The student wants to emphasize a distinction that Butler achieved. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
In 1995, Octavia E. Butler became the first science fiction writer to receive a MacArthur Fellowship.
Octavia E. Butler's novels include Kindred and Parable of the Sower.
Octavia E. Butler was an American writer who lived from 1947 to 2006.
Kindred was published in 1979, and Parable of the Sower was published in 1993.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A
A distinction is an honor or achievement that sets someone apart. Choice A names one: Butler was the first science fiction writer to receive a MacArthur Fellowship. The other choices list her books, her dates, or publication years, none of which is a distinction.
Choice B lists her well-known novels, but writing them is not presented as a distinction the way being first to win the fellowship is.
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