Question while-
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- In astronomy, the mass of stars can be described in units called solar masses.
- One solar mass is roughly equal to the mass of the Sun.
- The mass of the star Proxima Centauri is 0.122 solar masses.
- The mass of the star Sirius A is 2.063 solar masses.
The student wants to emphasize the mass of Sirius A. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
The mass of stars, like Proxima Centauri, can be described in units called solar masses.
In astronomy, the mass of stars can be described in units called solar masses, and one solar mass is roughly equal to the mass of the Sun.
The Sun is more massive than Proxima Centauri, which has a mass of 0.122 solar masses.
With a mass of 2.063 solar masses, Sirius A is more massive than the Sun.
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes: In astronomy, the mass of
Hard-difficulty · SAT Reading & Writing · Rhetorical Synthesis — Integrating text and data to reach a conclusion. Read the question above, select your answer, and check the full explanation below to understand exactly why the correct choice works.
Answer explanation
Choice D is the best answer. The sentence emphasizes the mass of Sirius A, noting that it has a mass of 2.063 solar masses and that it is larger than the Sun.
Choice A is incorrect. The sentence makes a generalization about how the mass of stars can be measured; it doesn’t emphasize the mass of Sirius A. Choice B is incorrect. The sentence introduces solar masses as a unit of measurement; it doesn’t emphasize the mass of Sirius A. Choice C is incorrect. The sentence emphasizes the mass of Proxima Centauri, not the mass of Sirius A.
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