Question 83·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- In 2014, engineer Carlos Sandoval became fascinated by hummingbirds’ ability to hover and change direction instantly.
- Determined to copy this agility, he spent two years building a drone that mimics hummingbird wing motion.
- Each of the drone’s carbon-fiber wings can beat up to 40 times per second.
- By reversing wing angle mid-stroke, the drone can fly backward and sideways like a hummingbird.
The student wants to begin a narrative about Sandoval’s innovation. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions, underline the purpose in the stem (here, “begin a narrative about Sandoval’s innovation”). Then choose the option that best fits that purpose: it should introduce the main person, set up the origin of the project (often a time/motivation), and accurately use the most relevant notes without drifting into overly technical details or changing the subject.
Hints
Focus on the task words
Look back at the question: the sentence must begin a narrative and be about Sandoval’s innovation. Which choice clearly introduces a person and what he is creating?
Decide which notes matter most for an opening
For the first sentence of a story, is it better to start with technical performance details or with how and why the project began?
Watch for relevance and subject shifts
Check whether each option stays focused on Carlos Sandoval. Eliminate any option that mainly discusses someone else or shifts to a general topic not centered on him.
Prefer a choice that sets the scene
A narrative opening often includes a clear starting point (like a year or a moment of inspiration) plus the main goal of the project.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the purpose
The sentence must begin a narrative about Sandoval’s innovation.
So the best choice should:
- Name Carlos Sandoval,
- Show what he built (a hummingbird-like drone), and
- Include a sense of how/why the project began (an origin moment), not just technical specs.
Prioritize the most relevant notes for an opening
The strongest opening will draw from the notes that establish the story’s starting point:
- In 2014, Sandoval became fascinated by hummingbirds’ hovering/instant turns.
- He then spent two years building a drone to mimic hummingbird wing motion.
The other notes (wing-beat rate, flying backward/sideways) are interesting, but they are more like mid-paragraph details than a narrative hook.
Eliminate options that miss the narrative focus
Evaluate each choice against the goal:
- The option focusing on 40 beats per second is mainly a technical detail and is not an effective narrative opening.
- The option about two years building mentions Sandoval but doesn’t establish the story’s starting moment as clearly.
- The option about scientists shifts away from Sandoval, who is the subject of the notes.
The remaining option best introduces Sandoval and how the project began.
Select the best narrative opening
The best choice is the one that introduces Sandoval, includes the year and his motivation, and clearly sets up the innovation he begins working on.
Correct answer: Fascinated in 2014 by hummingbirds’ ability to hover and turn instantly, engineer Carlos Sandoval began building a drone whose wings move like a hummingbird’s.