Question 49·Easy·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Wangari Maathai was a Kenyan environmentalist.
- In 1977, Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement.
- The Green Belt Movement focuses on tree planting and women's empowerment.
- Maathai received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.
The student wants to indicate the name of the organization Maathai founded and its primary focus. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions with notes, first underline exactly what the question asks you to convey (for example, a person’s role, an organization’s name and purpose, or a cause-and-effect relationship). Then, scan the notes to find the specific bullets that provide that information. Eliminate any answer choices that use true facts from other bullets but do not directly address the stated goal, or that leave out part of what’s requested. Choose the option that (1) includes all required details, (2) comes only from the notes, and (3) avoids irrelevant information that doesn’t help accomplish the goal.
Hints
Clarify what the student wants to say
Underline the key parts of the task: the student wants to indicate (1) the name of the organization Maathai founded and (2) its primary focus. Any correct answer must contain these two pieces of information.
Match the task to specific notes
Look at the bullet points and find which ones tell you which organization Maathai founded and what that organization focuses on. Ignore details that are just about her biography or awards.
Test each answer choice
For each option, ask: Does it actually name the organization? and Does it clearly state what that organization focuses on? If either part is missing, that choice cannot be correct.
Step-by-step Explanation
Restate the task in your own words
The question asks for a sentence that indicates the name of the organization Maathai founded and its primary focus. So the right answer must do both of these things:
- Name the organization Maathai founded.
- State what that organization focuses on.
Locate the needed information in the notes
Look back at the bullet points and find where these two things are stated:
- The name of the organization Maathai founded is in: "In 1977, Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement."
- The primary focus of that organization is in: "The Green Belt Movement focuses on tree planting and women's empowerment."
These are the only bullets that together give exactly what the question is asking for.
Check each answer against the task
Now, compare each option to the task:
- Does it name the organization Maathai founded?
- Does it clearly state the organization’s primary focus (tree planting and women's empowerment)?
Eliminate any answer that leaves out either the organization’s name or its focus, or that focuses on other information (like dates or awards) instead.
Choose the option that uses the relevant notes and nothing extra
Only Choice A: "Wangari Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, an organization focused on tree planting and women's empowerment." includes both the organization’s name (Green Belt Movement) and its primary focus (tree planting and women's empowerment), using exactly the relevant notes and directly accomplishing the student’s goal.