Question 90·Hard·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has collected the following notes:
- The "Solar Sisters" initiative trains women in sub-Saharan Africa to sell affordable solar lamps and phone chargers.
- Since 2010, more than 6,000 women have become Solar Sister entrepreneurs.
- The "Liter of Light" project teaches communities worldwide to turn discarded plastic bottles into daytime skylights and nighttime solar lamps.
- By 2023, Liter of Light had installed over 1.5 million of these lights in 32 countries.
- Both programs aim to bring clean, low-cost lighting to areas that lack reliable electricity.
- Each program relies on simple, scalable technologies that can be built or distributed locally.
The student wants to craft a single sentence that underscores both the scope of the programs’ impact and the ingenuity of their low-tech solutions. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions, start by underlining exactly what the question wants (for example, "scope of impact" and "ingenuity of low-tech solutions"). Then scan the notes and quickly label which ones give scale (numbers, reach) and which ones show how something works or why it is notable (like clever design). Next, eliminate answer choices that (1) ignore one of the required elements, (2) are too vague or generic, or (3) change or exaggerate the information from the notes. Finally, choose the sentence that uses specific, accurate details from the notes and directly satisfies the task without adding new claims.
Hints
Focus on the task words
Underline the key requirement: the sentence must show both the scope of the programs’ impact and the ingenuity of their low-tech solutions. Ask yourself which notes clearly show these two things.
Identify which notes show scale
Look for notes that include numbers or describe how widespread the programs are. Which notes mention how many people, lights, or countries are involved?
Identify which notes show clever, simple technology
Look for notes that describe simple, locally built devices or unusual ways of creating light. Which details make the technologies seem inventive and low-tech?
Check for accuracy and completeness in the choices
For each answer choice, ask: Does it use specific evidence from the notes (not vague claims)? Does it avoid adding new, unsupported numbers or claims? Does it include both scale and low-tech ingenuity, not just one?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the question is asking for
The prompt says the student wants one sentence that underscores both:
- The scope of the programs’ impact (how big/ widespread/ numerous the results are)
- The ingenuity of their low-tech solutions (how clever and simple the technologies are)
So the right answer must do both: show scale (usually numbers or broad reach) and show clever, simple technology.
Find notes that show scope (scale of impact)
Look for any notes with numbers or wide reach:
- "Since 2010, more than 6,000 women have become Solar Sister entrepreneurs." → scale for Solar Sister
- "By 2023, Liter of Light had installed over 1.5 million of these lights in 32 countries." → scale for Liter of Light
A good answer should use some of these concrete statistics to show scope, not just vague phrases like "helps people."
Find notes that show ingenuity of low-tech solutions
Now look for wording about simple, clever technology:
- "turn discarded plastic bottles into daytime skylights and nighttime solar lamps" → very clear, inventive low-tech idea
- "Each program relies on simple, scalable technologies that can be built or distributed locally." → emphasizes simple, local, low-tech solutions
A strong choice will mention the specific kinds of devices (like lamps, chargers, or bottle lights) so readers can see the ingenuity and simplicity.
Match an answer choice that combines accurate scale + low-tech ingenuity
Now evaluate the choices:
- Eliminate any choice that does not include numbers or clear evidence of scale.
- Eliminate any choice that does not mention specific simple technologies (like lamps, chargers, or bottle lights).
- Eliminate any choice that adds new quantities that are not in the notes (for example, changing thousands into millions, or guessing about how many countries are involved for both programs).
The only option that accurately uses the given figures (more than 6,000 entrepreneurs and over 1.5 million bottle lights) and names the simple devices (lamps, chargers, bottle lights), without exaggerating or inventing extra data, is choice C: "Since 2010, more than 6,000 Solar Sister entrepreneurs have sold lamps and chargers, while Liter of Light has installed over 1.5 million bottle lights worldwide." This sentence directly shows large-scale impact and hints at low-tech ingenuity through its description of the devices.