Question 118·Easy·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• Wangari Maathai was a Kenyan environmentalist.
• She founded the Green Belt Movement in 1977.
• The movement has planted millions of trees across Kenya.
• Her work linked environmental restoration with women's empowerment.
• She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.
The student wants to introduce Maathai to an audience unfamiliar with her. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For SAT questions that ask you to choose a sentence based on notes and a writing goal, first underline the goal words in the question stem (for example, “introduce,” “emphasize,” or “support a claim”). Then quickly scan the notes and decide which pieces of information are essential to that goal. Eliminate any answer that (1) focuses on the wrong thing (like an organization instead of the person you’re asked to introduce), (2) uses only a minor detail instead of the main ideas, or (3) leaves out critical context that a new reader would need. Finally, pick the option that accurately combines multiple key notes into a clear, concise sentence that best matches the stated purpose.
Hints
Clarify the writing goal
Focus on the phrase "introduce Maathai to an audience unfamiliar with her." Ask yourself: which choice would best help someone who has never heard of her understand who she is and why she matters?
Use the most important notes, not just one detail
Look at all the bullet points. Which notes together would give a strong first impression of Maathai—her identity, her achievements, and the impact of her work—rather than just a single fact?
Check whether the sentence is about Maathai or something else
For each answer choice, ask: is the main focus Wangari Maathai herself, or is it mainly about the Green Belt Movement or trees without really introducing her?
Eliminate incomplete introductions
Cross out any options that leave out key ideas a new audience would likely need, such as who she is or why she is notable, even if those options use some correct details from the notes.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the task in the question stem
The question says the student wants to introduce Maathai to an audience unfamiliar with her. An introduction to a person should usually:
- Clearly identify who the person is.
- Mention what they are known for.
- Give some sense of why they are important or noteworthy.
So we want a choice that centers on Maathai herself, not just on an organization or one result of her work.
Decide which notes matter most for an introduction
Look at the notes and think about which ones help a new audience understand who Maathai is and why she matters:
- "Wangari Maathai was a Kenyan environmentalist." → tells us who she was.
- "She founded the Green Belt Movement in 1977." → shows a major achievement.
- "The movement has planted millions of trees across Kenya." → shows impact.
- "Her work linked environmental restoration with women's empowerment." → explains her focus and significance.
- "She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004." → shows she was internationally recognized.
An effective introduction will combine several of these ideas, not just one detail.
Eliminate choices that don’t truly introduce Maathai
Now compare each option to the goal.
- Choice A talks about the founding of the Green Belt Movement and tree planting, but it does not explain who Maathai is, her broader impact, or her recognition. It sounds more like a fact about a project than an introduction to a person.
- Choice B describes the Green Belt Movement’s focus but never even names Maathai. That fails the main goal of introducing her.
- Choice D mentions millions of trees in Kenya, but again does not name Maathai or explain who she is.
These three choices do not clearly introduce Wangari Maathai to someone unfamiliar with her.
Confirm the remaining choice matches the goal
The only remaining option is Choice C. It identifies Maathai as a Kenyan environmentalist, notes that she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, and explains that she founded the Green Belt Movement, which has both planted millions of trees and empowered women. This combines multiple key notes to show who she is, what she did, and why she is important—exactly what you need for an introduction.
Correct answer: C) Kenyan environmentalist Wangari Maathai, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004, founded the Green Belt Movement, which has planted millions of trees while empowering women.