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 option connects the two achievements as a progression
The best choice should (1) accurately use the notes, (2) mention both achievements, and (3) emphasize that the 2016 feat goes beyond the 2010 feat.
Eliminate choices that:
- Talk only about Solar Impulse 2 (too narrow),
- Focus mainly on dates/locations without describing the achievements, or
- Are too general to show how the second achievement built on the first.
Select the choice that explicitly shows “built on”
The only option that clearly shows progression from the 2010 achievement to the more ambitious 2016 achievement is:
After Solar Impulse 1’s 26-hour solar-powered flight in Switzerland in 2010, Solar Impulse 2 circled the globe on solar power in 2016.
This directly links the earlier, smaller milestone to the later, larger one. Therefore, the correct answer is: After Solar Impulse 1’s 26-hour solar-powered flight in Switzerland in 2010, Solar Impulse 2 circled the globe on solar power in 2016.