Final answer:
Option B is the correct choice as it equally emphasizes both statements about the woman sitting on the porch in a rocking chair and her mind not focusing on the surroundings.
Step-by-step explanation:
You asked which sentence correctly combines the two statements "She was sitting on the porch in a rocking chair" and "Her mind was not on the beauty of her surroundings" by giving them equal emphasis. The correct sentence that combines both statements without changing their emphasis is:
B) She was sitting on the porch in a rocking chair, but her mind was not on the beauty of her surroundings.
This sentence maintains the original significance of both statements and conveys that while she was physically present on the porch, her attention was elsewhere, without implying a cause-and-effect relationship or presenting an alternative.