Question 116·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has compiled the following notes:
- Katherine Johnson (1918–2020) was an African American mathematician.
- She began working at NASA’s Langley Research Center’s Flight Research Division in 1953.
- Johnson calculated orbital trajectories for the Mercury program and the Apollo missions, including Apollo 11 (first Moon landing, 1969).
- In 2015, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the United States’ highest civilian honors.
The student wants to introduce Katherine Johnson by focusing on her contribution to the Apollo 11 Moon landing, showing why she is an important figure in space exploration. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions with notes, first underline the stated goal in the question (what the sentence should emphasize or accomplish). Then, scan the notes and mark which bullets directly support that goal and which are extra. Eliminate any answer choices that (1) ignore the key idea the question wants you to focus on, (2) rely mainly on less relevant details (like dates or awards that don’t serve the goal), or (3) fail to clearly express the intended purpose (such as showing importance or making a specific connection). Choose the option that most directly and efficiently uses the most relevant note(s) to achieve the stated goal in one clear sentence.
Hints
Restate the goal in your own words
Ask yourself: Which option best introduces Katherine Johnson by highlighting her role in Apollo 11 and showing why she matters for space exploration?
Match the notes to the goal
Look back at the bullet points: which bullet talks about Apollo 11 and connects her work to the Moon landing? Focus on options that use that information.
Watch for distractions (dates and awards)
Some answers focus on when she started working or when she got an award. Ask: Do those details really help you understand her contribution to Apollo 11 and her importance in space exploration?
Look for an explicit connection to importance
Among the choices, which one not only mentions her Apollo-related work but also clearly states or strongly implies that this made her especially important in space exploration?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the writing goal
The question says the student wants to introduce Katherine Johnson by:
- Focusing on her contribution to the Apollo 11 Moon landing, and
- Showing why she is an important figure in space exploration.
Any correct answer must do both of these things clearly.
Select the most relevant notes
From the notes, the most relevant information to that goal is:
- She "calculated orbital trajectories for the Mercury program and the Apollo missions, including Apollo 11 (first Moon landing, 1969)."
This is the only bullet that directly mentions Apollo 11 and connects her work to the Moon landing. A strong answer should use this idea and link it to her importance in space exploration.
Check which choices match the goal
Now compare each option to the goal:
- Choice A talks about when she started at NASA and her medal in 2015, but says nothing about Apollo 11 or why she matters in space exploration.
- Choice C mentions the Mercury program and her medal, but not Apollo 11 or her importance in space exploration.
- Choice D mentions trajectories for Mercury and Apollo and when she began working, but does not clearly single out the Apollo 11 Moon landing or explicitly say why that makes her important.
Only one option clearly centers on Apollo 11 and explicitly states her significance for space exploration.
Confirm the best match
The remaining choice is the one that says Katherine Johnson, a NASA mathematician, calculated the trajectory that carried Apollo 11 to the Moon in 1969 and states that this made her a pivotal figure in space exploration. This sentence directly uses the most relevant note and fulfills both parts of the goal, so Choice B is correct.