While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes: Dr. Maria Santos is a renowned biochemist born in...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Dr. Maria Santos is a renowned biochemist born in 1965
- She earned her PhD from Columbia University in 1991
- While completing her dissertation research, Santos developed two innovative protein synthesis techniques that were published in leading journals
- Her dissertation work was recognized with the American Chemical Society's Young Investigator Award in 1992
- Santos joined the faculty at Stanford in 1993
- She is best known for her groundbreaking 2001 discovery of enzyme X-47, which revolutionized cancer treatment research
- The enzyme discovery earned her the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2003
The student wants to emphasize Dr. Santos's achievements during her graduate studies. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
During her graduate studies at Columbia, Dr. Maria Santos developed two innovative protein synthesis techniques and earned the Young Investigator Award in 1992, establishing herself as a promising researcher before joining Stanford's faculty.
Dr. Maria Santos, who would later win the Nobel Prize for discovering enzyme X-47, completed her graduate studies at Columbia University in 1991.
Best known for her 2001 discovery of enzyme X-47, Dr. Maria Santos had earlier developed innovative protein synthesis techniques during her Columbia University dissertation research.
Dr. Maria Santos's career includes graduate work at Columbia University, faculty positions at Stanford, and the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of enzyme X-47 in 2001.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Dr. Maria Santos is a renowned biochemist born in 1965 |
|
| She earned her PhD from Columbia University in 1991 |
|
| While completing her dissertation research, Santos developed two innovative protein synthesis techniques that were published in leading journals |
|
| Her dissertation work was recognized with the American Chemical Society's Young Investigator Award in 1992 |
|
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? We need to choose which option most effectively emphasizes Dr. Santos's achievements during her graduate studies.
What type of answer do we need? A sentence that highlights and focuses on her graduate school accomplishments specifically.
Any limiting keywords? The student wants to emphasize Dr. Santos's achievements during her graduate studies, so we need an option that makes those specific accomplishments the focal point rather than just mentioning them in passing.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
The right answer should:
- Focus primarily on what Santos accomplished during her graduate studies at Columbia
- Mention her specific achievements from that period: the two innovative protein synthesis techniques and the Young Investigator Award
- Present these graduate achievements as the main point, not as brief mentions before discussing later career accomplishments
During her graduate studies at Columbia, Dr. Maria Santos developed two innovative protein synthesis techniques and earned the Young Investigator Award in 1992, establishing herself as a promising researcher before joining Stanford's faculty.
- Focuses specifically on graduate studies at Columbia
- Mentions both key graduate achievements: the innovative techniques and the 1992 Young Investigator Award
- Presents these as establishing her as a promising researcher
Dr. Maria Santos, who would later win the Nobel Prize for discovering enzyme X-47, completed her graduate studies at Columbia University in 1991.
- Mentions completing graduate studies but doesn't detail any specific achievements from that period
- The focus is on her later Nobel Prize-winning work
Best known for her 2001 discovery of enzyme X-47, Dr. Maria Santos had earlier developed innovative protein synthesis techniques during her Columbia University dissertation research.
- While it mentions the innovative techniques from Columbia research, the sentence structure emphasizes her 2001 discovery as the main point
- The graduate work is presented as background information
Dr. Maria Santos's career includes graduate work at Columbia University, faculty positions at Stanford, and the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of enzyme X-47 in 2001.
- Provides a broad career overview that mentions graduate work only briefly with no specific graduate achievements highlighted