Question 44·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has compiled the following notes:
- In the early 1970s, chemist M. Stanley Whittingham developed the basic concept of the lithium-ion battery.
- Sony released the first commercial lithium-ion battery in 1991.
- Lithium-ion batteries power most modern portable electronics and electric vehicles.
- Electric vehicles emit far fewer greenhouse gases than comparable gasoline-powered cars.
- Whittingham shared the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on lithium-ion batteries.
The student wants to highlight the environmental impact of Whittingham’s work. 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 (e.g., “highlight the environmental impact”). Then quickly scan the notes and mark only the pieces directly related to that task (here, mentions of emissions and electric vehicles). Eliminate any answer choices that are accurate but focus on other angles, such as dates, awards, or unrelated uses. Finally, choose the option that uses the most directly relevant notes and clearly connects them to the stated goal in a single, well-focused sentence.
Hints
Clarify the writing goal
Focus on the phrase "highlight the environmental impact of Whittingham’s work." What kind of effect are you looking for—historical, technological, or environmental?
Locate relevant notes
Look back at the bullet points: which ones mention environmental effects, such as pollution or greenhouse gases, rather than dates or awards?
Make the right connection
After finding the environmental information, ask: which choice clearly connects Whittingham’s contribution to that environmental benefit, not just to technology or recognition?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the task in the question
The prompt says the student wants to highlight the environmental impact of Whittingham’s work. That means the best answer must talk about environmental effects, not just history, prizes, or technology.
Find environmental information in the notes
Scan the notes for anything about the environment.
Relevant bullets:
- "Lithium-ion batteries power most modern portable electronics and electric vehicles."
- "Electric vehicles emit far fewer greenhouse gases than comparable gasoline-powered cars."
These two points together show that lithium-ion batteries help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enabling electric vehicles.
Connect Whittingham to the environmental effect
We also need to tie this environmental benefit back to Whittingham. The notes say:
- "In the early 1970s, chemist M. Stanley Whittingham developed the basic concept of the lithium-ion battery."
So a strong answer will:
- Mention Whittingham’s pioneering lithium-ion battery work, and
- Link that work to electric vehicles and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Evaluate each answer choice against the goal
Check each option:
- A talks about Sony’s commercial release in 1991—this is history/business, not environmental impact.
- B talks about when Whittingham conceived the battery and his Nobel Prize—this is biography/achievement, not environmental.
- C says lithium-ion batteries power portable electronics—this is about devices, not emissions.
- D explicitly links Whittingham’s work to lithium-ion batteries, to electric vehicles, and to reduced greenhouse gas emissions, directly matching the goal.
So the correct answer is: By enabling the lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles, Whittingham’s pioneering work has helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions.