SAT OwlQuestion bank / Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• The theremin is an electronic musical instrument invented by Léon Theremin in 1920.
• It has two metal antennas.
• The player controls pitch by moving one hand near one antenna and volume by moving the other hand near the second antenna.
• The player never touches the instrument while playing it.
• Its eerie sound was used in many science fiction film scores of the 1950s.
The student wants to emphasize what is unusual about the way the theremin is played. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
The theremin, invented by Léon Theremin in 1920, has two metal antennas.
The theremin's eerie sound appeared in many science fiction film scores of the 1950s.
Theremin players control pitch with one hand and volume with the other.
A theremin player controls pitch and volume by moving the hands near two antennas, never actually touching the instrument.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D
What is unusual about the theremin is that it is played without being touched. Choice D includes that detail and explains how the hands control the sound. Choice C describes the roles of the two hands, but using both hands is common to many instruments, so it doesn't capture what is unusual.
Choice C describes how the instrument is played but leaves out the one unusual detail, that the player never touches it.
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