Question 173·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While preparing an article on building materials, a student compiled the following notes:
• Ancient Roman concrete structures such as the Pantheon have remained intact for nearly 2,000 years.
• Engineers at MIT recently analyzed the chemistry of samples of this concrete.
• The team discovered that small white fragments called “lime clasts” allow the concrete to "self-heal": when cracks form, the clasts dissolve, recrystallize, and seal the gaps.
• By contrast, most modern concrete develops serious cracks within a few decades.
• Understanding the self-healing process could help engineers design more durable and sustainable modern concrete.
The student wants to highlight the potential modern significance of the research findings.
Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions, first underline the task words in the question (for example, “potential modern significance”). Then skim the notes and mark the one or two bullets that directly match that task. Finally, pick the answer choice that accurately combines those key ideas into one sentence, making sure it directly addresses the goal (like future benefit, explanation, or contrast) rather than just repeating an interesting detail from the notes. Ignore choices that sound true but don’t clearly fulfill the stated purpose.
Hints
Clarify what the question is asking for
Focus on the words “potential modern significance” in the question. Ask yourself: which choice explains why this research matters for modern concrete, not just what the researchers found?
Find the most relevant note
Look at the bullet points and identify which one talks about how the research might help future construction rather than just describing Ancient Rome or current concrete problems.
Match notes to choices
After you choose the most relevant note, look for the answer choice that restates that idea in a single sentence. Avoid choices that only give background facts or describe the problem without explaining how the research could be used today.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the task in the question
The question says the student wants to highlight the potential modern significance of the research findings.
- Potential = what could happen in the future.
- Modern significance = why the research matters for today’s or future building materials, not just for understanding the past.
So the correct choice must connect the research on Ancient Roman concrete to a future benefit for modern concrete.
Locate the key note about modern impact
Look back at the bullet points and find which one talks about possible future uses:
- The last note says: “Understanding the self-healing process could help engineers design more durable and sustainable modern concrete.”
This is the main idea you need: the research on self-healing Roman concrete can help engineers create better modern concrete in the future.
Check which choices mention a modern benefit
Now compare each answer choice to that final note:
- One choice talks mainly about how long the Pantheon has lasted (past result, no modern application).
- One choice contrasts modern and ancient concrete (describes a problem, but no solution or benefit from the research).
- One choice just explains that Roman builders used lime clasts (research finding, but no modern application).
- One choice connects the discovery about lime clasts directly to making longer-lasting, more sustainable modern concrete.
The correct answer must both use the research finding (lime clasts and self-healing) and clearly state how this can improve modern concrete.
Select the sentence that matches the goal and key note
The only option that directly states that the MIT researchers’ discovery about lime clasts in Roman concrete could also be used to create longer-lasting, more sustainable modern concrete is Choice A: “Engineers at MIT discovered that the lime clasts responsible for Ancient Rome’s durable concrete could also be used to create longer-lasting, more sustainable modern concrete.”
This exactly matches the idea in the notes about helping engineers design more durable and sustainable modern concrete, so A is correct.