Question 38·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- On April 12, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space.
- Gagarin orbited Earth once during the mission.
- He traveled aboard the spacecraft Vostok 1.
- The entire flight, from launch to landing, lasted 108 minutes.
The student wants to craft a sentence that clearly summarizes Gagarin’s historic achievement. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions with notes, identify the central point the notes support (here, Gagarin being the first human in space) and choose the option that states that point while accurately combining the most relevant supporting details from the notes—without adding new claims or contradicting any bullet.
Hints
Focus on the main idea of the notes
Ask yourself: What is the biggest idea these notes are trying to convey about Yuri Gagarin? Look for a choice that highlights that main idea, not just a side detail.
Look for a sentence that combines multiple notes
The best summary will not restate just one bullet point. It should combine several of the listed facts into a single, clear sentence.
Check for accuracy as well as completeness
Make sure the sentence doesn’t subtly change the notes (for example, mixing up what happened during the flight or leaving out what made the event historic).
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the task
The question asks for one sentence that clearly summarizes Yuri Gagarin’s historic achievement using the notes. The best choice should (1) keep Gagarin as the subject, (2) state what made the event historic, and (3) accurately combine multiple details from the notes.
Identify the key ideas in the notes
The notes give:
- Who/when: On April 12, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin
- Historic achievement: first human in space
- What happened: orbited Earth once
- Spacecraft: Vostok 1
- Time: entire flight lasted 108 minutes A strong synthesis sentence should include the historic “first” and keep the other details accurate.
Eliminate choices that miss or distort key information
- One option describes the mission as important but never states the key historic achievement (first human in space).
- One option contradicts the notes by saying the mission did not include an orbit.
- One option adds an unsupported/inaccurate claim about being the first spacecraft ever launched. The remaining choice accurately states the historic achievement and correctly uses multiple note details.
Choose the best synthesis sentence
On April 12, 1961, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space, orbiting Earth once during a 108-minute flight aboard Vostok 1.