Question 122·Hard·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Artificial light at night is increasing worldwide and may disrupt ecological interactions.
- A research team from the University of Exeter tested how light pollution affects pollination by nocturnal moths.
- The team established paired experimental plots: one set illuminated with LED lights at night and an unlit control set.
- Moth visitation to flowers was 62% lower in the lit plots than in the dark plots.
- Plants in the lit plots produced 13% fewer seeds than plants in the control plots.
- The researchers warn that reduced nocturnal pollination could threaten crop yields and biodiversity.
The student wants to highlight the main conclusion of the research in a presentation slide. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For “main conclusion” or “main idea” questions using notes, first restate in your own words what the researchers discovered and why it matters. Then quickly eliminate options that: (1) only describe experimental setup, (2) provide background context unrelated to the specific study’s findings, or (3) just list detailed data without a broader takeaway. The correct choice will usually synthesize multiple key notes into one general statement that captures both the core result and its implication.
Hints
Focus on what “main conclusion” means
Underline the words “highlight the main conclusion of the research.” You’re looking for a sentence that sums up what the study found overall, not how it was done or background facts.
Use the notes to find the big-picture result
Scan the notes and ask: What changed in the lit plots compared to the dark plots, and what warning did the researchers give based on that change?
Differentiate detail from takeaway
Decide which choices give only specific details (like setup or exact percentages) and which one steps back and states the overall result plus its importance.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify what the question is asking for
The question says the student wants to highlight the main conclusion of the research in a presentation slide.
For this type of question, you are not looking for:
- Background information
- Experimental setup
- A single specific result without context
Instead, you want a sentence that:
- Summarizes the overall finding of the study, and
- Often hints at why that finding matters (the implication).
Determine the study’s overall finding from the notes
Look through the bullet points and ask: What did the researchers actually discover?
Key points from the notes:
- Light at night is increasing and may disrupt interactions.
- The team tested how light pollution affects pollination by nocturnal moths.
- They compared lit plots with dark control plots.
- Moth visitation was 62% lower in lit plots.
- Seed production was 13% lower in lit plots.
- They warn that reduced nocturnal pollination could threaten crop yields and biodiversity.
Together, these show that artificial light at night leads to fewer moth visits and fewer seeds, which could harm plant reproduction and ecosystems.
Evaluate what each answer choice emphasizes
Now match that overall idea to the choices:
- Choice A describes how the experiment was set up (the method), not what it showed.
- Choice B is general background about light pollution being common, not about this study’s result.
- Choice C gives specific numbers (62% and 13%) but doesn’t clearly state the broader conclusion or why it matters.
- One choice both combines the reduced moth visits with the reduced seed production and draws the conclusion that this can harm plant reproduction.
The best answer must capture both the main result and its implication.
Select the choice that states the main conclusion
The only option that summarizes the study’s key findings and explains their significance is Choice D: “The study found that artificial light at night significantly reduced moth visits and seed production, suggesting that light pollution can undermine plant reproduction.”
This choice:
- Combines both main quantitative findings (fewer moth visits and fewer seeds).
- States the broader conclusion that light pollution can harm plant reproduction.
Therefore, D is the correct answer.