Question 157·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- In the 1940s, beavers were hunted to local extinction along Cornwall’s rivers.
- Beavers are often called “ecosystem engineers” because their dams slow water flow and create wetland habitats.
- A 2018 pilot program released two beavers into Cornwall’s River L.
- Since the reintroduction, biodiversity surveys have recorded a 37% increase in aquatic insects and a 16% rise in fish populations.
- Farmers who initially opposed the project now report fewer field floods during heavy rains.
The student wants to emphasize the positive environmental impact of reintroducing beavers. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis, underline the goal (what the student wants to emphasize), then select only the notes that directly support that goal (especially specific outcomes, numbers, or clear cause-and-effect). Eliminate choices that are mostly background, opinions, or process details, and choose the sentence that most directly and specifically combines the strongest supporting notes.
Hints
Focus on the goal phrase
Underline the goal: "emphasize the positive environmental impact." Look for notes showing environmental improvements after the beavers returned.
Prefer results over background
Background facts (dates, history) are less effective than outcomes (measured increases, reduced flooding). Choose a sentence that highlights outcomes.
Look for synthesis
The strongest choice will combine more than one relevant note (for example, both biodiversity increases and reduced flooding), not just one isolated detail.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the task in the question
The student wants to emphasize the positive environmental impact of reintroducing beavers. So the best sentence should highlight beneficial environmental results (ideally measurable outcomes) connected to the reintroduction.
Pull the most relevant notes
The notes that best support a positive environmental impact are:
- Beaver dams slow water flow and create wetland habitats.
- Surveys recorded a 37% increase in aquatic insects and a 16% rise in fish.
- Farmers report fewer field floods during heavy rains.
Choose the option that synthesizes those benefits
Eliminate choices that provide only background (reintroduction history), focus mainly on people’s opinions, or describe monitoring without results. The best choice is the one that links beaver activity to multiple positive outcomes: "Beaver dams slow water flow, and after the reintroduction surveys found 37% more aquatic insects, 16% more fish, and fewer field floods."