Question 215·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While preparing a podcast script about rainforest wildlife, a student has compiled the following notes:
- The harpy eagle is the largest raptor in the Amazon rainforest.
- It can have a wingspan of up to 7 feet.
- The bird hunts monkeys and sloths, plucking them from tree branches.
- The eagle's name comes from the harpies of Greek mythology because of its feathered crest.
The student wants to write a single sentence for the podcast introduction that will grab listeners’ attention by highlighting both the bird’s impressive size and its hunting prowess.
Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions like this, first underline the specific goals in the prompt (for example, “highlight X and Y,” “introduce,” “emphasize contrast”). Then quickly categorize the given notes by idea (such as size, behavior, name origin, appearance). As you test each answer choice, check it against the goal: it must include all required idea categories and avoid adding irrelevant information that replaces a required point. Eliminate any choice missing one of the key ideas or focusing on extra details, and among the remaining options, pick the one whose tone and vividness best fit the stated purpose (like grabbing attention for a podcast).
Hints
Focus on what the question is asking for
Underline the key requirements in the question: the sentence must highlight impressive size and hunting prowess and be suitable for an attention-grabbing podcast introduction.
Sort the notes into "size," "hunting," and "extra"
Look back at the bullet notes and decide which ones describe size, which describe how the eagle hunts, and which are just extra background (like its name origin or appearance).
Scan each option for both required elements
For every answer choice, ask: Does this sentence clearly include one detail about size and one detail about how it hunts? If it is missing either, eliminate it.
Consider vividness for a podcast
Among the remaining choices, think about which sentence sounds the most vivid or dramatic—something that would instantly capture a listener’s interest at the start of a podcast.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the task in the question
The question says the student wants a single sentence for a podcast introduction that will:
- Grab listeners’ attention (so it should sound vivid or dramatic)
- Highlight both the bird’s impressive size and its hunting prowess (how it hunts)
Any correct answer must clearly show both size and hunting ability.
Match the task to the notes
Look at the notes and decide which ones match the two required ideas:
- Impressive size:
- "The harpy eagle is the largest raptor in the Amazon rainforest."
- "It can have a wingspan of up to 7 feet."
- Hunting prowess:
- "The bird hunts monkeys and sloths, plucking them from tree branches."
- Extra/background info (not required by the prompt):
- "The eagle's name comes from the harpies of Greek mythology because of its feathered crest."
So the best sentence will use one size detail (largest raptor or 7-foot wingspan) plus the hunting detail about monkeys and sloths from the trees.
Check each option for both required ideas
Go through the answer choices and see which contain both size and hunting:
- A) Mentions the eagle's name origin and that it is the largest raptor (size), but nothing about hunting.
- B) Mentions a 7-foot wingspan (size) and taking monkeys and sloths from the treetops (hunting).
- C) Mentions size and dramatic name origin, but nothing about hunting.
- D) Mentions monkeys and sloths as diet and feathered crest (appearance), but nothing about size.
Only one choice covers both: size and hunting.
Confirm attention-grabbing language and choose the answer
Among the choices, the one that not only includes both key ideas but also uses vivid, dramatic language suited to a podcast introduction is:
B) With a wingspan that can reach 7 feet, the harpy eagle of the Amazon rainforest takes monkeys and sloths straight from the treetops.
This sentence highlights the eagle's impressive size (7-foot wingspan) and its hunting prowess (taking monkeys and sloths from treetops) in a single, engaging sentence, so it best fulfills the student’s goal.