Question 237·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has gathered the following notes:
- Mary Anning (1799–1847) was a fossil collector from Lyme Regis on England’s Jurassic Coast.
- In 1811 she discovered the first complete Ichthyosaurus skeleton.
- Anning’s discoveries helped establish the new science of paleontology and influenced ideas about prehistoric life and extinction.
- In 2010 the Royal Society named Anning one of the ten most influential British women in the history of science.
The student wants to add one sentence to introduce Mary Anning to readers who have never heard of her. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions like this, start by reading the question stem carefully to identify the exact goal (introduce, conclude, transition, etc.). Then scan the notes and decide which 1–3 points are most important for that goal—typically identity and main significance for an introduction. Next, quickly test each choice by asking, “Does this sentence clearly do the job the stem asks for, using the key notes, without getting lost in side details?” Eliminate answers that focus on minor facts, shift attention away from the main subject, or tell a narrow story instead of giving a clear, big-picture summary.
Hints
Focus on the goal of the sentence
Ask yourself: if someone has never heard of Mary Anning, what is the most important thing they should know about who she is and why she matters?
Choose the most relevant notes
Look back at the notes and decide which details best show both her identity (what she did) and her scientific importance, not just when she lived or where she lived.
Check what each option emphasizes
For each choice, notice whether the sentence mainly focuses on Mary Anning herself and her importance, or whether it spends more words on side details like her age, the place, or a later honor.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the task
The question asks for one sentence to introduce Mary Anning to readers who have never heard of her. An introductory sentence should:
- Identify who she is (her role or occupation)
- Indicate what makes her notable or important
- Use relevant information from the notes, not random or minor details
Keep this goal in mind as you compare the answer choices.
Pick the most relevant notes for an introduction
Look at the notes and think about which ones would help a new reader quickly understand why Mary Anning matters:
- She was “a fossil collector from Lyme Regis on England’s Jurassic Coast.” (who she was and where she was from)
- In 1811 she “discovered the first complete Ichthyosaurus skeleton.” (a key achievement)
- Her discoveries “helped establish the new science of paleontology and influenced ideas about prehistoric life and extinction.” (why she’s important)
- In 2010 she was named one of the “ten most influential British women in the history of science.” (later recognition)
For an introduction, the most important elements are her identity, her major discovery, and its scientific impact.
Evaluate how well each choice functions as an introduction
Now compare how each option uses the notes to introduce her.
- One choice mostly focuses on birth date, where she lived, and an honor in 2010. That tells us about her life, but not clearly why she is historically important as a scientist.
- Another choice describes a single event in 1811, including her age and a nickname for the fossil. This is narrow and story-like; it doesn’t clearly state her broader scientific significance.
- A third option shifts attention to the Jurassic Coast being famous for fossils and only mentions Anning as a collector there. This makes the place, not the person, the main subject.
Only one option clearly centers on Mary Anning, states her role, identifies a major achievement, and hints at the impact of that achievement on science and ideas about extinction.
Select the sentence that best introduces Mary Anning
The best introductory sentence is the one that combines who Mary Anning was, what she accomplished, and why that accomplishment mattered:
Correct answer: Mary Anning, a fossil collector from Lyme Regis, England, discovered the first complete Ichthyosaurus skeleton in 1811, an achievement that helped shape early paleontology and our understanding of extinction.
This choice:
- Identifies her as “a fossil collector from Lyme Regis, England” (who she was)
- Mentions the discovery of the first complete Ichthyosaurus skeleton (key achievement)
- Explains that this helped shape early paleontology and our understanding of extinction (why she is important)
That makes it the most effective one-sentence introduction for readers who have never heard of her.