Question 194·Hard·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has gathered the following notes:
- NASA launched the twin spacecraft Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 in 1977.
- Voyager 1 crossed into interstellar space in 2012 and continues to measure cosmic rays and magnetic fields there.
- Voyager 2 conducted flybys of Uranus in 1986 and Neptune in 1989.
- Both spacecraft carry Golden Records prepared by a team led by Carl Sagan.
- Engineers estimate that the Voyagers will remain operational until at least 2025.
The student wants to write a sentence that highlights both how long the Voyager mission has lasted and why the data currently being collected are scientifically significant. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis, restate the goal as a checklist (here: “show longevity” + “explain why current data matter”). Then match each checklist item to specific notes and choose the option that includes both, eliminating choices that are accurate but satisfy only one requirement or use interesting off-task details.
Hints
Focus on the exact task
Underline the two parts of the task: mission duration and why the current data matter scientifically. The correct choice must clearly include both.
Match each requirement to a note
Which bullet(s) show the mission has lasted a long time? Which bullet describes what Voyager 1 is still measuring right now?
Watch for choices that sound impressive but miss one part
Some options emphasize long operation (1977/2025) but don’t mention ongoing measurements, and others mention interstellar measurements but don’t stress how long the mission has lasted.
Step-by-step Explanation
Restate the goal
The sentence must do two things at once:
- emphasize how long the Voyager mission has lasted, and
- explain why the current data being collected are scientifically significant.
Identify the notes that match each requirement
- Longevity: launched in 1977; expected to remain operational until at least 2025.
- Current scientific significance: Voyager 1 is in interstellar space and continues to measure cosmic rays and magnetic fields there.
Eliminate choices that cover only one requirement
Eliminate any option that focuses only on longevity (for example, launch date/2025) without mentioning ongoing scientific measurements, or that focuses only on measurements (for example, 2012/interstellar data) without emphasizing how long the mission has lasted.
Choose the option that includes both longevity and ongoing scientific value
The best sentence is the one that mentions the 1977 launch/decades of operation and also describes Voyager 1’s ongoing interstellar measurements as valuable scientific data. Therefore, the correct answer is:
Launched in 1977, the Voyager spacecraft have operated for decades, and Voyager 1 still measures cosmic rays and magnetic fields in interstellar space, providing rare data from beyond the solar system.