Question

read the passage.
student designs vietnam veterans memorial
maya lin was an architecture student at yale university when she completed a special class assignment—a monument to veterans of the vietnam war. the assignment was inspired by the october 1980 announcement of a national design competition for such a memorial to be built in washington, d.c. lins professor gave her design only a b but encouraged her to enter it into the competition. more than 1,400 entries were submitted and judged anonymously. most of the other entrants were trained architects, whereas lin hadnt yet completed her degree in architecture. yet lins design took first place, earning her $20,000 in prize money. she later wrote, \from the very beginning i often wondered, if it had not been an anonymous entry... but rather an entry by maya lin, would i have been selected?\
what is the main, or central, idea of the passage?
maya lin received a b for her design for a memorial to vietnam veterans, but she was encouraged to enter it in a national competition.
maya lins design won first prize in a competition and went on to become the vietnam veterans memorial.
maya lin was just a student, but her design won a national competition for the vietnam veterans memorial.

Explanation:

To find the main idea, we analyze each option:

• The first option focuses on her grade and being encouraged to enter, but the passage's key is her winning as a student.
• The second option mentions the design becoming the memorial, but the passage doesn't confirm that (it's about winning the competition as a student).
• The third option accurately captures that Maya Lin, a student, won the national competition for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial design.

Answer:

Maya Lin was just a student, but her design won a national competition for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.