Question 180·Hard·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has recorded the following notes:
- Wild bees (non-managed, native species) pollinate 70 of the top 100 food crops that together feed 90% of the world’s population.
- On Costa Rican coffee farms, yields increased by 20% when patches of native forest provided habitat for wild bees.
- The annual economic value of wild-bee pollination in California almond orchards is estimated at $3,251 per hectare.
- Installing wildflower strips at field edges boosted local wild-bee populations by 50% without reducing cropland.
The student wants to write a sentence that argues that protecting wild bees has clear economic benefits for farmers. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions, restate the exact goal (here: show that protecting wild bees benefits farmers economically), then select notes that directly quantify economic impact (yield increases and dollar values). Finally, choose the option that uses those notes accurately and most directly to make the required claim, and reject options that shift to a different purpose (like food security) or subtly alter numbers/units.
Hints
Match the purpose
The sentence must argue for economic benefits to farmers. Look for wording about yields, income, or dollar values (not just ecology or food security).
Prioritize the most economic notes
Which notes quantify farm benefits with percent yield change or a $ value per hectare? Those will best support the claim.
Watch for subtle inaccuracies
A choice can sound persuasive but still be wrong if it changes a key detail from the notes (like the unit attached to $3,251).
Step-by-step Explanation
Clarify the writing goal
The sentence must argue that protecting wild bees has clear economic benefits for farmers. So the best choice should tie wild-bee protection to measurable economic outcomes such as higher yields or a dollar value.
Identify the notes that directly show economic benefit
Two notes most directly support an economic-benefits claim:
- Coffee yields increased by 20% when native forest habitat supported wild bees.
- Wild-bee pollination in California almond orchards is valued at $3,251 per hectare per year.
Eliminate choices that don’t match the goal or the notes
Eliminate choices that:
- Focus on bee population increases without clearly connecting to farmers’ economic gains.
- Focus on global food security rather than farmers’ profits.
- Misstate key details from the notes (for example, changing the unit from per hectare to something else).
Select the most effective synthesis
The best choice is the one that accurately uses the yield increase and the $3,251-per-hectare value to show direct financial benefits to agriculture:
“Protecting wild bees can raise farm income: coffee yields rose 20% near native forest, and almond pollination is valued at about $3,251 per hectare each year.”