Question 2·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has compiled the following notes:
- Solar panels convert sunlight to electricity using photovoltaic cells.
- Wind turbines harness the kinetic energy of wind to generate electricity.
- Both solar and wind energy are renewable sources that produce no direct greenhouse gas emissions.
- Solar energy generation is highest during sunny daytime hours.
- Wind energy can be generated day or night, depending on wind conditions.
The student wants to emphasize an environmental benefit that solar and wind energy have in common. 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, “environmental benefit” and “have in common”). Then quickly scan the notes for the one that directly addresses that task—especially notes that mention both subjects together. Finally, choose the answer that uses that same key idea; avoid options that are true but focus on the wrong aspect (like process, timing, or differences) instead of the specific goal stated in the question.
Hints
Clarify what the question is asking for
The question is not asking how solar and wind energy work or when they produce electricity. It specifically asks for a shared environmental benefit.
Search the notes strategically
Scan the bullet points for one that mentions both solar and wind together and says something good about their effect on the environment, rather than about timing or mechanical details.
Align the note with an answer choice
Once you find the note that matches the question’s goal, look for the answer choice that uses that same idea, instead of one that only describes how or when the energy is produced.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the task in the question
Focus on the exact goal: “emphasize an environmental benefit that solar and wind energy have in common.”
So the correct sentence must:
- Mention both solar and wind energy.
- Describe a benefit to the environment.
- Show something they share, not something different about each.
Locate the relevant note in the list
Look through the notes and ask:
- Which bullet talks about a positive effect on the environment?
- Which bullet refers to both solar and wind together, not just one or the other?
Most notes describe how the technologies work or when they produce energy. Only one note mentions both solar and wind in the same sentence and links them to an environmental advantage.
Match the relevant note to an answer choice
Now compare the answer choices:
- Eliminate any choice that doesn’t talk about the environment.
- Eliminate any choice that focuses on differences instead of a shared benefit.
The only option that directly restates the note about both energy sources and their environmental advantage is:
Solar and wind energy are renewable sources that produce no direct greenhouse gas emissions.