Question 80·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Biochemist Anika Patel compared two strains of microalgae for biodiesel production.
- Chlorella vulgaris produced lipids equal to 50 % of its dry weight after 7 days of growth.
- Dunaliella salina produced lipids equal to 23 % of its dry weight under the same conditions.
- A higher lipid percentage yields more biofuel per gram of algae.
- Patel’s goal was to identify the strain with the greatest potential for biodiesel production.
The student wants to highlight which strain has the greater potential for biodiesel production and support that claim with relevant data. Which choice most effectively achieves this goal?
For note-based rhetorical synthesis questions, first restate the task in your own words (for example, ‘I need a sentence that picks a winner and backs it up with data’). Then scan the notes and mark the few details that are essential to that task (here, the lipid percentages, the rule that higher lipids mean more biofuel, and the goal of finding the best strain). When you evaluate the answer choices, quickly eliminate any that (1) don’t directly answer the specific goal (no clear claim), or (2) ignore the key data. The correct choice will tightly combine the necessary claim with the most relevant numbers, without extra background or vague phrasing.
Hints
Clarify the goal
Underline the part of the question that states the goal: the sentence must highlight which strain has greater biodiesel potential and support that with relevant data. Keep both parts in mind.
Locate the critical notes
Look through the notes for anything about what determines biodiesel potential and any numbers comparing the two strains. Which notes mention lipid percentages and how they relate to biofuel?
Match choices to the goal
For each answer choice, ask: does this sentence (1) clearly say which strain has more biodiesel potential, and (2) use the specific lipid percentage data from the notes to prove it?
Beware of partial answers
Be careful with choices that only describe the experiment, only give general background, or only list numbers without stating a conclusion about which strain is better for biodiesel.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the task in the question
The question says the student wants to highlight which strain has the greater potential for biodiesel production and support that claim with relevant data.
So the correct sentence must do two things:
- Clearly say which strain has more biodiesel potential.
- Use specific data from the notes to support that idea.
Find the key information in the notes
Look at the notes for anything about biodiesel potential and data:
- Chlorella vulgaris: lipids equal to 50% of its dry weight after 7 days.
- Dunaliella salina: lipids equal to 23% of its dry weight under the same conditions.
- Higher lipid percentage yields more biofuel per gram of algae.
- Patel’s goal was to identify the strain with the greatest potential for biodiesel production.
These points tell you that lipid percentage is the important measurement and give exact numbers for each strain.
Translate notes into what the sentence must say
From the notes, you know:
- The strain with the higher lipid percentage has greater biodiesel potential.
- One strain has 50% lipids and the other has 23%.
So the correct answer must:
- Name the strain with the higher lipid percentage as having more biodiesel potential.
- Mention the specific percentages (50% and 23%) to support the claim, ideally in a direct comparison.
Check each answer choice against the task
Now compare the choices to the task:
- Choice A describes how Patel measured the algae but never says which strain has greater potential or uses the percentage data.
- Choice C gives a general principle (higher lipid percentage → more biofuel) but does not mention either strain or any numbers.
- Choice D lists both strains and their percentages, but it does not actually state which one has greater biodiesel potential; it just reports data.
- Choice B clearly states that one strain offers more biodiesel potential than the other and supports this claim by comparing their lipid percentages (50% versus 23%).
Therefore, the best choice is: Chlorella vulgaris, which produced lipids equal to 50 % of its dry weight, offers more biodiesel potential than Dunaliella salina, which produced just 23 %.