Question 82·Easy·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
• Voyager 1 was launched in 1977 as part of NASA's Voyager program. • In 2012, Voyager 1 became the first human-made object to enter interstellar space. • Voyager 1 carries the Golden Record, a phonograph recording of sounds and images from Earth.
The student wants to indicate what made Voyager 1 historically significant. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For questions asking which sentence best meets a writing goal (such as showing historical significance), first underline the key purpose words in the prompt (here, historically significant). Then, scan the notes for the detail that directly fulfills that purpose—usually something showing a first, record, or major impact. Eliminate options that are merely true but do not match the stated goal, and pick the one that most clearly and specifically accomplishes what the question asks.
Hints
Focus on the goal in the question
Reread the sentence that states what the student wants to do. What is the key phrase that describes the purpose of the sentence the student will write?
Think about what counts as “historically significant”
Ask yourself: Which kind of fact would usually appear in a history book as a major milestone—something about a date, what the object carried, or a unique achievement?
Match that idea to the notes
Look back at the three bullet points. Which one describes Voyager 1 doing something no previous human‑made object had done?
Eliminate less relevant facts
Cross out notes that only tell you background details (like when it was launched or what it carries) and keep the one that best shows why Voyager 1 stands out in history.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the task
The prompt says the student wants to indicate what made Voyager 1 historically significant. That means we are not just looking for any true fact about Voyager 1; we need the note that explains why it is important in history, what makes it special or notable.
Identify what “historically significant” usually looks like
A historically significant fact usually shows a first, a record, a major achievement, or a turning point. As you read the notes, look for language that shows Voyager 1 did something no other human‑made object had done before.
Compare each note to the goal
Go through the three bullet notes:
- The first is about when and how it was launched.
- The second describes a special achievement (look for any word that shows it was the first or only one to do something).
- The third describes what it is carrying. Only one of these clearly shows a unique, record‑setting achievement that would make Voyager 1 stand out in history.
Match the note to the answer choice
The note that explains Voyager 1’s unique achievement is the one saying it became the first human‑made object to enter interstellar space. That idea is repeated exactly in answer choice C) In 2012, Voyager 1 became the first human-made object to enter interstellar space.