Question 104·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
Global offshore wind capacity reached 35 gigawatts (GW) in 2020.
Solar photovoltaic (PV) power accounted for 3% of global electricity generation in 2020.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), wind and solar together could supply nearly 30% of global electricity by 2030.
Some offshore wind turbines are more than 260 meters tall.
The student wants to highlight both the comparatively small share wind and solar currently provide and the much larger share they are projected to provide in the near future. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions like this, first restate the task in your own words so you’re clear on the goal (for example, “The sentence must show small now vs. big in the future for wind/solar’s share of global electricity”). Then scan the notes to pick out only the pieces of information that directly match that goal—often specific numbers or facts. Next, eliminate any choices that (1) leave out one of the key ideas (such as present or future), (2) distort or change the numbers from the notes, or (3) bring in irrelevant details that don’t help achieve the stated purpose. This targeted matching lets you move quickly and confidently to the best answer.
Hints
Identify what two things must be in the answer
Underline the two ideas in the question: a small current share and a much larger projected share in the near future. Any correct answer must clearly include both of these.
Find the matching notes
Look through the notes and decide which ones talk about current percentage of global electricity and which one talks about projected percentage by 2030. Ignore facts that are about height or capacity instead of electricity share.
Watch out for irrelevant details
If a choice spends words on things like turbine height or uses only one of the needed percentages, it is not accomplishing the goal, even if it uses real information from the notes.
Check ‘present vs. future’ contrast
Ask yourself: does this option clearly contrast a small number now with a much larger number later for wind and/or solar’s share of global electricity? If not, eliminate it.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the task and goal
The question tells you exactly what the student wants to do: highlight both
- the comparatively small share that wind and solar provide now, and
- the much larger share they are projected to provide in the near future.
So the correct sentence must include both a present/current figure and a future/projection figure, and they must directly relate to wind and/or solar’s share of global electricity.
Match the goal to the notes
Look back at the notes and identify which facts fit each part of the goal:
- Current/small share:
- “Solar photovoltaic (PV) power accounted for 3% of global electricity generation in 2020.”
- Future/large projected share:
- “According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), wind and solar together could supply nearly 30% of global electricity by 2030.”
The other notes (35 GW capacity, turbine height) are about size or capacity, not about how much of global electricity is being supplied now vs. in the future.
Check each choice against the goal and notes
Now see which choices actually use both of the relevant notes:
- A mentions “35 GW” and a statement about being “significant,” but that’s only present and not about percentage share of global electricity, and it has no future projection.
- B gives the future “nearly 30%” projection but then talks about turbine height, which is irrelevant to the goal (no present small share).
- C gives the current “3% of global electricity” but then adds turbine height instead of a future percentage projection.
- Only one choice combines the 3% current share with the nearly 30% future projection, exactly matching the goal.
Confirm the best match
The only option that clearly contrasts the present small share with the future large projected share, using only relevant information from the notes, is:
D) Today, solar PV supplies just 3% of global electricity, but the International Energy Agency projects wind and solar together could generate nearly 30% by 2030.