Question 249·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) is a scientific facility designed to detect gravitational waves.
• In 2015, LIGO made the first detection of gravitational waves, which were produced by two colliding black holes.
• This detection confirmed a major prediction of Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity.
• LIGO operates twin detectors located in Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington.
The student is preparing an encyclopedia entry for readers unfamiliar with LIGO. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to introduce LIGO in one sentence?
For “use the notes to write one sentence” questions, first identify the core job of the sentence (here: an encyclopedia introduction for unfamiliar readers), then quickly mark which notes give definition, which give major achievements, and which give extra details. Look for the answer choice that combines definition + key action + significance in a clear, formal sentence, and eliminate options that use only one note, skip the main point, or assume the reader already knows what the subject is.
Hints
Think about what an encyclopedia introduction must include
For readers who have never heard of LIGO, what basic information must they know in the first sentence so they understand what the rest of the article will be about?
Use more than one note
Look for a choice that uses several of the bullet points together (what LIGO is, what it did, and why that matters), not just a single detail like its locations or the year of detection.
Check definition and importance
Ask yourself: Which choice both identifies LIGO (by name and type of facility) and explains why it is scientifically important, rather than just stating a bare fact about it?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the task and audience
You are asked to choose one sentence that introduces LIGO in an encyclopedia entry. The audience is readers unfamiliar with LIGO, so the sentence must clearly explain what LIGO is and why it matters, using information from the notes.
Identify the most important notes for an introduction
Look at the bullet points and decide which are most useful for a first-sentence introduction:
- LIGO is a scientific facility designed to detect gravitational waves (what it is and what it does).
- In 2015, LIGO made the first detection of gravitational waves from two colliding black holes (its big achievement and context).
- This detection confirmed a major prediction of Einstein’s general relativity (why the achievement is important).
- LIGO has twin detectors in Louisiana and Washington (physical setup/location; helpful but less crucial than definition and significance).
An effective encyclopedia opening will usually combine definition + major achievement + significance, and possibly also mention the twin facilities.
Check each choice for completeness and clarity
Now compare each option to those priorities:
- Does the choice name and define LIGO clearly for someone who has never heard of it?
- Does it mention what LIGO did (detect gravitational waves) and why that matters (confirmation of Einstein’s prediction)?
- Does it maintain an appropriate formal, informative tone for an encyclopedia?
Eliminate any choices that only give one piece of information (like just the locations or just the fact that it detects gravitational waves) without clearly defining LIGO and explaining its importance.
Select the sentence that best combines definition, action, and significance
Only one option clearly states that LIGO is the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, explains that in 2015 it detected gravitational waves produced by two colliding black holes at its twin facilities in Louisiana and Washington, and notes that this detection confirmed a major prediction of Einstein’s general relativity. That option is A) The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) confirmed a major prediction of Einstein’s general relativity in 2015 by detecting at its twin facilities in Louisiana and Washington state the gravitational waves produced when two black holes collided.