Question 177·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• The International Energy Agency (IEA) released its Renewables 2023 report. • In 2022, renewable electricity generation supplied 30% of global power. • Solar photovoltaic (PV) accounted for 60% of all renewable capacity growth that year. • The report projects renewables will overtake coal as the largest source of electricity by 2025. • To create the report, the IEA compiled data from national energy agencies and industry publications.
The student wants to highlight the significance of solar PV in recent growth of renewable energy capacity. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions, start by restating the task in your own words: what exactly does the sentence need to emphasize (topic, time frame, and purpose)? Then scan the notes to find the single most relevant bullet that matches those requirements. Next, choose the option that accurately uses that specific information and clearly serves the stated goal. Quickly eliminate answers that (1) focus on the wrong detail from the notes, (2) leave out the required subject or time frame, or (3) talk about methodology or broad context instead of the precise point the student wants to make.
Hints
Clarify the task
Re-read the question stem and underline the phrases that describe the student’s goal. What exactly must the sentence focus on: a type of energy, a time period, and a specific idea about it?
Locate the key note
Among the bullet points, find the one that talks specifically about solar PV and its share of renewable capacity growth in a particular year.
Eliminate off-target choices
Rule out any answer choices that do not mention solar PV, do not discuss growth in capacity, or focus mainly on how the report was made or on future predictions.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the student’s goal
The question says the student wants to highlight the significance of solar PV in recent growth of renewable energy capacity.
Break that into key requirements:
- It must be about solar PV (not just renewables in general).
- It must be about growth in capacity, not just current share of electricity.
- It must show how important or significant solar PV is in that growth.
- It must be recent, matching the notes (2022).
Find the most relevant note
Look at each bullet in the notes and ask which one best matches those requirements.
The most directly relevant bullet is:
- “Solar photovoltaic (PV) accounted for 60% of all renewable capacity growth that year.”
This bullet:
- Mentions solar PV specifically.
- Talks about capacity growth.
- Gives a large percentage (60%), which shows its importance.
- Refers to that year, which from context is 2022 (a recent year).
Match the relevant note to an answer choice
Now look for the choice that accurately uses this solar PV information and emphasizes its importance.
We want a sentence that:
- Attributes the information to the IEA (since it’s from their report).
- States that solar PV was responsible for 60% of renewable capacity growth in 2022.
- Adds language that makes clear this shows a dominant or significant role for solar PV.
Only one choice does all of this correctly and focuses on solar PV’s major contribution to growth: Choice B: “According to the IEA, solar photovoltaic technology was responsible for 60% of the growth in global renewable capacity in 2022, signaling its dominant role in the sector.”
Verify that other choices don’t meet the goal
Quickly check the other options:
- A is about where the IEA got its data, not about solar PV’s role in capacity growth.
- C is about renewables’ share of global electricity (30%), not about solar PV or capacity growth.
- D is a future prediction about renewables versus coal, not solar PV’s recent contribution.
Since only Choice B uses the solar PV 60% growth fact to emphasize its dominant role, B is the correct answer.