Question 49·Easy·Cross-Text Connections
Text 1
A recent report from the International Energy Outlook concludes that large-scale solar farms constructed in regions with intense, consistent sunlight are the most practical way to boost solar power generation. According to the report, rooftop solar panels on individual homes and businesses can help, but their scattered placement limits how much electricity they can collectively supply. By contrast, vast solar arrays in deserts can take advantage of economies of scale and deliver far greater output per square mile.
Text 2
Engineers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory analyzed satellite data and found that if most usable rooftops in the United States were fitted with modern photovoltaic panels, the combined electricity produced would rival that of the country’s largest existing solar farms. The team argues that widespread rooftop adoption would not only provide comparable generation capacity but also reduce energy lost during long-distance transmission from remote desert facilities.
Which choice best describes how the authors of Text 1 and Text 2 differ in their views of rooftop solar power?
For cross-text comparison questions, first summarize each text’s main point in a few words (for example, "Text 1: rooftop limited vs. farms stronger" and "Text 2: rooftops can match farms"). Then look for how those brief summaries differ—tone, strength, or evaluation—and choose the option that captures that difference. Quickly eliminate any answer choice that introduces topics neither text mentions (like cost or environmental harm here), and be careful about options that accidentally flip which text holds which view.
Hints
Locate each author’s main claim
Reread the first 1–2 sentences of each text and underline the phrases that describe how effective the author thinks rooftop solar can be overall.
Compare rooftop solar to solar farms within each text
In each text, find where rooftop solar is directly or indirectly compared to large solar farms. Ask yourself: does the author see rooftop solar as weaker, similar, or stronger than solar farms?
Eliminate choices that bring in new topics
Look for answer choices that mention environmental harm or cost. Do either of the texts actually talk about those topics?
Check the direction of the comparison
For any answer that compares rooftop solar and solar farms, make sure it matches who thinks rooftop is stronger or weaker in each text, not the reverse.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify Text 1’s view of rooftop solar
Focus on the key sentences in Text 1:
- "large-scale solar farms ... are the most practical way to boost solar power generation."
- "rooftop solar panels ... can help, but their scattered placement limits how much electricity they can collectively supply."
- "vast solar arrays in deserts ... deliver far greater output per square mile."
From this, Text 1 clearly sees rooftop solar as limited and less productive at large scale than big solar farms.
Identify Text 2’s view of rooftop solar
Now look at the key parts of Text 2:
- "if most usable rooftops ... were fitted with modern photovoltaic panels, the combined electricity produced would rival that of the country’s largest existing solar farms."
- "widespread rooftop adoption would ... provide comparable generation capacity."
Here, Text 2 says rooftop solar could match ("rival," "comparable") large solar farms in total electricity output if widely used.
Compare the two perspectives directly
Put the two views side by side:
- Text 1: Rooftop solar helps but is limited and less capable of large-scale generation than solar farms.
- Text 2: Rooftop solar, if widely adopted, could rival or match large solar farms in generation.
So the main difference is how capable each author thinks rooftop solar is for producing electricity on a large scale.
Match the comparison to the correct choice
Check each answer choice against this comparison:
- Choices A and B introduce topics (environmental harm, cost) that neither text mentions.
- Choice C reverses what the texts say about which is more powerful.
- Only choice D accurately states that Text 1 views rooftop solar as less capable of large-scale electricity production than Text 2 does, which matches the comparison you just made.