Question 178·Hard·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has compiled the following notes:
- The kakapo is a large, flightless parrot native to New Zealand.
- Fewer than 250 kakapo remain, placing the species on the brink of extinction.
- Conservationists now send drones loaded with specially formulated food to the birds’ remote island refuges.
- Geneticists have sequenced the kakapo genome to locate harmful mutations that stem from generations of inbreeding.
- Assisted reproduction, informed by genetic data, could increase the population’s diversity.
The student wants to begin a presentation with a sentence that highlights the role of modern technology in conservation. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to meet this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions, underline the goal words (here, “begin a presentation” and “highlight the role of modern technology in conservation”). Then choose the option that best serves that purpose: it should use relevant notes, stay accurate, and sound like a broad opener—often by showing more than one way technology is being used to protect the species.
Hints
Restate the goal in your own words
Ask yourself: What would an opening sentence look like if its main purpose is to show how modern technology helps conservation?
Find the technology in the notes
Identify which notes describe tools or scientific techniques (for example, drones or genome sequencing) rather than just background facts.
Prefer broad openers over narrow details
An opening sentence usually works best when it gives a big-picture view, not just one isolated action.
Stay faithful to the notes
Eliminate choices that don’t clearly connect technology to conservation or that emphasize only general facts about the bird.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the task and goal
The question asks for a first sentence that highlights the role of modern technology in conservation. The best choice should:
- Clearly reference modern tools/techniques.
- Link those tools to protecting or saving the kakapo.
- Sound like a broad opening rather than a single narrow detail.
Identify the most relevant note details
The notes describe several technology-driven conservation efforts:
- Drones delivering specially formulated food to remote refuges.
- Genome sequencing to locate harmful mutations from inbreeding.
- Assisted reproduction informed by genetic data to increase diversity.
Compare choices by how well they serve as a broad, tech-focused opener
A strong opener should emphasize technology’s overall role, not just one isolated method. The most effective choice will:
- Include clearly relevant technology from the notes.
- Connect that technology to conservation outcomes (protecting the species / avoiding extinction).
- Ideally show that technology is being used in more than one way.
Select the choice that best matches the goal
The best opening sentence is:
From drone deliveries of food to genome sequencing that identifies harmful mutations, scientists are using new technology to help keep the kakapo from going extinct.