Question 125·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- 2010: Solar Impulse 1 completed first 26-hour flight powered solely by solar energy in Switzerland.
- 2016: Solar Impulse 2 completed first round-the-world flight powered solely by solar energy.
- Flight ended July 26, 2016, in Abu Dhabi after a 25,000-mile journey.
The student wants to highlight how the second achievement built on the first. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions like this, first underline the task (for example, “highlight how the second achievement built on the first”). Then quickly list the key facts from the notes and identify what changes or progresses from the first event to the second. Eliminate any choices that (1) ignore the stated purpose, (2) talk about only one of the events, (3) are inaccurate compared with the notes, or (4) are so vague they don’t clearly show the relationship. Choose the answer that is both accurate to the notes and directly addresses the specific goal in the question.
Hints
Focus on the goal: show how one achievement leads to another
Underline the phrase “highlight how the second achievement built on the first.” You need a choice that connects the two events and shows progress from the first flight to the second.
Compare what happened in 2010 vs. 2016
Look back at the notes and ask: What exactly did Solar Impulse 1 do, and what exactly did Solar Impulse 2 do? Think about how the 2016 flight was bigger or more advanced than the 2010 flight.
Eliminate choices that are too narrow or too vague
Cross out any answer that talks about only one of the flights, focuses mainly on dates or locations, or is so general that it doesn’t clearly show the difference between the two achievements.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the task in the question
The question says the student wants to “highlight how the second achievement built on the first.”
That means the right answer must:
- Refer to both the 2010 flight and the 2016 flight.
- Make it clear that the 2016 achievement was a next step / bigger achievement that came after the 2010 achievement.
Extract the key facts from the notes
From the notes:
- 2010: Solar Impulse 1 completed the first 26-hour flight powered only by solar energy, in Switzerland.
- 2016: Solar Impulse 2 completed the first round-the-world flight powered only by solar energy.
- This flight ended on July 26, 2016, in Abu Dhabi after a 25,000-mile journey.
The important contrast is:
- First: a 26-hour solar-powered flight.
- Second: a round-the-world solar-powered flight, a much bigger achievement that came later.
Check which options mention both achievements and show progress
Go through each answer and ask:
- Does it use relevant information from the notes (accurate and not random details)?
- Does it mention both the 2010 and 2016 flights?
- Does it clearly show that the 2016 flight built on or went beyond what was done in 2010?
Any choice that focuses only on dates, only on one flight, or that is too vague about what happened should be eliminated.
Match the best summary to the notes and purpose
Choice D, “After Solar Impulse 1’s 26-hour solar-powered flight in Switzerland in 2010, Solar Impulse 2 went on to circle the globe on solar power in 2016,” is the only option that:
- Correctly describes the first flight (26-hour solar-powered flight in Switzerland in 2010),
- Correctly describes the second flight (circling the globe on solar power in 2016), and
- Uses the word “After” and the contrast between a 26-hour flight and circling the globe to show clearly how the second achievement built on the first.
Therefore, the correct answer is: After Solar Impulse 1’s 26-hour solar-powered flight in Switzerland in 2010, Solar Impulse 2 went on to circle the globe on solar power in 2016.