hard · SAT Reading & Writing

While researching radio astronomy, a student took the following notes: - The ALMA observatory sits on a high plateau in Chile's Atacama Desert. - The Atacama is one of the driest places on Earth, and its clear skies aid observation. - ALMA is made up of 66 movable radio antennas that operate together as one instrument. - The antennas can be spread farther apart across the plateau. - Spreading the antennas apart sharpens the resolution of the images ALMA produces. The student wants to explain how ALMA achieves high-resolution images. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

1. ALMA operates as a single instrument even though it is actually made up of 66 separate radio antennas.
2. ALMA is located on a high plateau in Chile's Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth.
3. ALMA's 66 movable antennas can spread farther apart across the plateau, sharpening the resolution of its images.
4. Because the Atacama Desert's skies are exceptionally clear, the region is well suited to astronomical observation.

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