Question 153·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Ecologist Emily Johnson investigated the impact of wind turbines on bats.
- In 2022 she recorded bat echolocation calls at wind-energy sites across Indiana.
- Turbine noise overlapped the frequency range of some bat species.
- Experiments showed bats altered their flight paths to avoid the noise.
- Johnson concluded that running turbines at lower speeds at night would lessen disruption to bats.
The student wants to include a sentence in an essay that both summarizes Johnson’s study and conveys its recommendation. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions, turn the question into a short checklist of required information (here: study summary + recommendation). Then compare each option to the notes and eliminate any choice that changes a detail (time, location, cause/effect) or introduces an unsupported recommendation. Choose the sentence that accurately combines the key finding(s) and the stated recommendation in one clear statement.
Hints
Focus on the task
The question requires two things in one sentence: a brief study summary and the recommendation Johnson made.
Use the notes as a checklist
Make a quick checklist from the notes (2022, Indiana, noise overlap, bats change flight paths, lower speeds at night). The best choice should match the checklist without changing details.
Watch for wrong or added recommendations
More than one choice may sound like a recommendation, but only one matches the notes. Eliminate choices that change night to day, reverse lower to higher speeds, or introduce a new idea (like relocating turbines).
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the two required elements
The sentence must do both of the following:
- Summarize Johnson’s study (what she investigated and what she found).
- Convey the recommendation Johnson made based on her findings.
So the best choice must match the notes on findings and match the notes on what she recommended.
List what the notes actually say
From the notes, the sentence should reflect these points:
- Who/what: Ecologist Emily Johnson studied wind turbines’ impact on bats.
- When/where: In 2022 at wind-energy sites across Indiana.
- Findings: Turbine noise overlapped the frequency range of some bat species, and bats altered their flight paths to avoid the noise.
- Recommendation: Run turbines at lower speeds at night to lessen disruption.
Eliminate choices that change or add information
Check each option against the notes:
- Eliminate any option that reverses the recommendation (for example, suggesting higher speeds).
- Eliminate any option that changes when the recommended action happens (day vs. night).
- Eliminate any option that adds a recommendation not in the notes (such as relocating turbines).
The correct option should match the findings and the recommendation exactly, without adding unsupported ideas.
Choose the option that matches both the findings and the recommendation
The option that accurately includes the key findings (noise overlap and altered flight paths) and the recommendation (lower turbine speeds at night) is:
In 2022, ecologist Emily Johnson recorded bat calls at Indiana wind-energy sites and found turbine noise overlapped some species’ frequencies and altered flight paths; she recommended running turbines at lower speeds at night.