Question 11·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• Rachel Carson (1907–1964) was a marine biologist and writer.
• Her 1962 book Silent Spring revealed the dangers of the pesticide DDT.
• The book is credited with spurring the creation of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970.
• According to historian Linda Lear, Silent Spring “altered the balance of power in the world of science” by giving ordinary citizens a voice.
• Marine biologist Sylvia Earle states, “Carson’s words changed the course of history for the oceans—and for us.”
The student wants to use a quotation to support a claim about Carson’s influence on environmental policy. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions, first restate the task in your own words (what claim needs support and how—summary, statistic, quotation, etc.). Next, scan the notes to find which details directly address that exact claim (here, environmental policy and impact). Then quickly eliminate answer choices that don’t meet all requirements (for example, they lack a quotation when one is requested, or they focus on a different idea). Finally, check the remaining option(s) for accuracy: they must use the notes’ information without adding new, unsupported interpretations and must clearly connect the quoted detail to the specific claim in the question.
Hints
Focus on the goal of the sentence
Underline the key part of the question: the student wants to support a claim about Carson’s influence on environmental policy using a quotation. Keep both of those requirements in mind.
Locate the most relevant notes
Look at the bullet points and ask: which note(s) talk about government action or policy changes and which give strong quotations showing Carson’s impact?
Test each option for both requirements
For each answer choice, check: (1) Does it clearly connect Carson to environmental policy or policy change? (2) Does it use a quotation from the notes in a way that supports that idea, without adding new, unsupported claims?
Step-by-step Explanation
Clarify the task
The question asks for a sentence that uses a quotation to support a claim about Carson’s influence on environmental policy.
So the correct answer must do both:
- Include a quotation from the notes.
- Clearly connect Carson or Silent Spring to environmental policy (how policies or government actions changed).
Identify relevant notes
Look back at the notes and ask: which bullets relate most directly to environmental policy and influence?
From the notes:
- Silent Spring “revealed the dangers of the pesticide DDT” (shows what the book exposed, not directly policy yet).
- The book is credited with spurring the creation of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (this is a direct policy/government change).
- Sylvia Earle says Carson’s words “changed the course of history for the oceans—and for us” (shows big, historic impact, which could support a claim about influence).
A strong answer will combine the idea of policy influence (like EPA creation or shaping policy) with a powerful quotation that shows impact.
Check each option against the task
Now evaluate how well each choice matches the task:
- Choice A: Uses Sylvia Earle’s quote, but the sentence interprets it as “highlighting the importance of marine conservation,” which is not in the notes, and it does not mention environmental policy or policy change.
- Choice B: Uses Linda Lear’s quote about “altered the balance of power in the world of science,” which is about citizens’ voice in science, not clearly about environmental policy.
- Choice D: Mentions the EPA and citizens paying attention, but it doesn’t use a quotation at all, even though the question specifically asks for a quotation.
Only one option both uses a quotation and clearly frames Carson’s impact as influencing environmental policy.
Select the best-supported, on-task choice
The remaining option explicitly states that Silent Spring was influential in shaping environmental policy and then supports that statement with Sylvia Earle’s powerful quotation about Carson’s words changing “the course of history.” This directly matches the task and accurately reflects the notes.
Therefore, the correct answer is:
Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring was so influential in shaping environmental policy that, as marine biologist Sylvia Earle notes, her words “changed the course of history for the oceans—and for us.”