Read this excerpt from an essay.
Maya Angelou was a famous writer, actress, and civil rights activist. She had a difficult childhood. To say she became
talented despite her struggles is an understatement. Angelou's memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, became the first non-
fiction bestseller by an African-American woman in 1969. She wrote several acclaimed collections of poems and essays. She has
been nominated for numerous literary and civic awards. Her memoir was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, she received the
National Medal of Arts in 2000, and she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010. Angelou wrote and delivered
the poem "On the Pulse of Morning" to a national audience upon the inauguration of President Bill Clinton in 1993.
This excerpt would benefit from transitional words and phrases. Choose the option that uses transitions most effectively.