Question 140·Hard·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has compiled the following notes:
• Crop protection strategies increasingly rely on beneficial insects, such as lady beetles, to control aphids and scale insects.
• The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that deploying natural enemies can reduce chemical pesticide use by up to 40 percent.
• Entomologist Miguel Ramírez documented tomato fields in Spain where parasitic wasps lowered whitefly populations to nearly zero within three growing seasons.
• Biological control not only slows the evolution of pesticide resistance but also supports pollinator health.
The student wants to add a sentence that will open a paragraph emphasizing the advantages of biological pest control. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions like this, start by underlining the task words in the prompt (for example, “open a paragraph,” “emphasizing the advantages of biological pest control”). Next, scan the notes and mark only the pieces that directly support that goal—here, statements that show clear benefits of biological control. Then, evaluate the answer choices by asking: (1) Does this stay focused on the required purpose and topic? (2) Does it accurately use information from the notes, ideally combining more than one relevant point? (3) Is it appropriate in scope and tone for the requested sentence (like a broad topic sentence versus a narrow detail)? Eliminate choices that are off-topic, overly specific, or merely related but not fulfilling the stated goal.
Hints
Focus on the goal words
Look again at the question: it asks for a sentence that will open a paragraph and emphasize the advantages of biological pest control. Which kind of information should an opening, advantage-focused sentence include?
Locate the “advantages” in the notes
Identify which bullet points describe positive results of using natural enemies—things like reducing pests, decreasing chemical use, or helping other beneficial organisms.
Prefer broad, combined information
Among the answer choices, look for one that combines several of those benefits into a single, general statement suitable as a topic sentence, rather than focusing on a narrow fact or side detail.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the task
The question asks for a sentence to open a paragraph that emphasizes the advantages of biological pest control.
So the correct sentence must:
- Be broad enough to introduce a paragraph, not just give a narrow detail.
- Focus on benefits (positive outcomes) of biological pest control (using natural enemies instead of chemicals).
Identify which notes describe advantages
Look at each note and ask, “Does this show a benefit of biological control?”
- Note 1: Beneficial insects (like lady beetles) control aphids and scale insects → shows effectiveness at controlling pests.
- Note 2: FAO estimates natural enemies can reduce chemical pesticide use by up to 40 percent → clear advantage (less chemical use).
- Note 3: In Spain, parasitic wasps lowered whitefly populations to nearly zero → strong evidence of effectiveness.
- Note 4: Biological control slows evolution of pesticide resistance and supports pollinator health → two more clear advantages.
An ideal opening sentence will connect multiple of these benefits, not just one.
Match choices to the goal and notes
Now compare the answer choices to what you just identified:
- Eliminate any choice that mainly talks about recordkeeping or reports, because that does not emphasize advantages.
- Eliminate any choice that focuses on where insects can be found or what they look like, since that does not show why biological control is beneficial.
- Eliminate any choice that centers on problems with chemical pesticides or scientists investigating issues without clearly stating the benefits of biological control.
The best remaining choice will clearly highlight positive outcomes of using natural enemies and, ideally, combine several of the advantages mentioned in the notes.
Select the sentence that best emphasizes advantages
Only one option brings together multiple advantages of biological pest control—showing that natural enemies can almost eliminate a pest, significantly reduce chemical pesticide use, and support pollinator health—all of which are in the notes and all clearly positive. That sentence is:
C) In Spanish tomato fields, parasitic wasps have nearly eliminated whiteflies; according to the FAO, deploying natural enemies can cut chemical pesticide use by up to 40 percent, and biological control supports pollinator health.