Question 203·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has compiled the following notes:
- Coral reefs derive much of their color and energy from symbiotic algae living in their tissues.
- When stressed, corals expel these algae and turn white; this is called bleaching.
- Sustained water temperatures just 1–2°C above the seasonal average can trigger bleaching within weeks.
- Bleached corals are more vulnerable to disease and may die if high temperatures persist.
- Some reefs can recover if water temperatures return to normal quickly.
The student wants to emphasize the primary cause of coral bleaching. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions like this, start by underlining the task words in the question (for example, “primary cause,” “main effect,” “best evidence for,” etc.). Then quickly label what each note or answer choice is doing in simple terms such as background, cause, definition, or effect. Eliminate any choices that don’t match the requested role. Finally, among the remaining options, choose the one that most directly and specifically fulfills the task, avoiding answers that are merely related to the topic but don’t answer the exact question being asked.
Hints
Focus on the task word: cause
Re-read the question and underline or highlight the word cause. You are not being asked what bleaching is or what happens afterward, but what mainly leads to bleaching in the first place.
Sort the information by role
Look at the ideas behind the options and ask of each: Is this giving background about corals, explaining what bleaching looks like, describing what starts it, or telling what happens after it occurs? Only one should clearly describe what starts bleaching.
Eliminate non-cause choices
Cross out any options that merely describe the appearance of corals, define a term, or talk about results such as disease or death. Among the remaining options, choose the one that explains the triggering condition for bleaching.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify exactly what the question is asking for
The prompt says the student wants to emphasize the primary cause of coral bleaching.
So you are looking for the choice that answers the question: “What mainly causes coral bleaching to begin?” — not what bleaching looks like, not what happens afterward, and not general background about corals.
Classify what each type of statement does
Before looking at the options, think about the different roles the notes play:
- One type of note explains background (how reefs get color/energy).
- Another type defines or describes bleaching (what corals do when stressed, what it looks like).
- Another type states the triggering condition — what environmental change actually causes bleaching to start.
- Another type talks about effects or consequences after bleaching (greater disease risk, possible death or recovery).
For this question, you specifically want the note that gives the triggering condition (the cause), not background, definition, or effects.
Match the correct note to the answer choice
Now look at the answer choices and decide which one states the condition that starts bleaching. Only one option describes that slightly higher-than-normal water temperatures can trigger bleaching.
That sentence is choice B) "Sustained water temperatures just 1–2°C above the seasonal average can trigger bleaching within weeks." This directly names the primary cause of coral bleaching, so B is correct.