Question 92·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- In 2010, global solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity was about 40 gigawatts (GW).
- By 2020, global solar PV capacity exceeded 700 GW.
- During 2010–2020, solar PV capacity expanded at an average annual rate of roughly 34%.
- Solar PV supplied 0.1% of the world’s electricity in 2010 and 3% in 2020.
- Global wind-power capacity rose from 200 GW in 2010 to about 750 GW in 2020.
The student wants to emphasize how rapidly global solar PV capacity grew between 2010 and 2020. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions like this, first underline the task words (here, “emphasize how rapidly” and “solar PV capacity grew between 2010 and 2020”). Then scan the notes and mark only the details that directly support that goal (here, the 2010 capacity, 2020 capacity, and growth rate for solar PV). Next, eliminate any choices that (1) introduce information not in the notes, (2) focus on the wrong thing (like wind or electricity share instead of capacity), or (3) don’t clearly cover the full time span. Finally, among the remaining options, pick the one that uses the most specific, relevant numbers to make the intended point as directly as possible.
Hints
Focus on what the question is asking for
Underline the words “emphasize how rapidly” and “solar PV capacity grew between 2010 and 2020.” Which notes speak most directly to speed of growth in capacity over that time period?
Decide which notes are most relevant
Look back at the bullet points: some talk about capacity values in 2010 and 2020, some talk about percent of world electricity, and one talks about wind power. Which of these details best shows rapid growth in solar PV capacity?
Check each choice for focus and time span
For each option, ask: Does it (1) focus mainly on solar PV, (2) talk about capacity (not electricity share), and (3) clearly describe change from 2010 to 2020, not just one year or a comparison to wind?
Look for numbers that show both size and speed of change
The strongest way to emphasize rapid growth is to show how small it was at the start, how big it is at the end, and, if possible, a rate of increase. Which option includes that kind of information for solar PV capacity?
Step-by-step Explanation
Clarify the goal of the sentence
The question says the student wants to emphasize how rapidly global solar PV capacity grew between 2010 and 2020.
Key ideas to look for:
- Focus on solar PV (not wind).
- Focus on capacity, not other things like share of global electricity.
- Emphasize rapid growth over time, which usually means showing both a starting point and an ending point and/or a growth rate.
Identify the most relevant notes
From the notes, ask: Which details best show how fast solar PV capacity grew from 2010 to 2020?
Relevant notes:
- 2010 capacity: about 40 gigawatts (GW).
- 2020 capacity: exceeded 700 GW.
- Average annual growth rate during 2010–2020: roughly 34%.
Less relevant for this specific goal:
- Solar PV’s share of world electricity (0.1% to 3%) — this is about electricity share, not capacity.
- Wind power capacity numbers — this is about wind, not solar PV.
Match the notes to what each choice emphasizes
Now compare each answer choice to the goal and relevant notes:
- One choice brings in both the 2010 and 2020 solar capacity numbers and the 34% average annual growth rate. This directly shows a small starting value, a huge ending value, and a very fast growth rate, perfectly emphasizing rapid capacity growth.
- One choice compares solar to wind, talking about wind’s growth as well as solar’s final 2020 value; this shifts focus away from solar’s own growth and does not use the 2010 solar capacity or the growth rate.
- One choice talks about solar’s percentage of global electricity (0.1% to 3%), which is not about capacity and even mislabels those numbers as “capacity data.”
- One choice focuses only on 2020 capacities for solar and wind, pointing out that wind is slightly higher; this does not show the change from 2010 and actually undercuts the idea of emphasizing solar’s rapid growth.
The best answer will be the one that uses solar capacity in 2010 and 2020 plus the growth rate to emphasize how dramatic the change was.
Select the choice that best emphasizes rapid capacity growth
The only option that clearly does all of the following—(1) focuses on solar PV capacity, (2) covers the full 2010–2020 period, and (3) uses both the start and end capacities along with the average annual growth rate—is Choice C:
“Between 2010 and 2020, global solar photovoltaic capacity jumped from 40 GW to more than 700 GW, reflecting an average annual growth rate of about 34 percent.”
This directly highlights how quickly solar PV capacity increased over that decade, so C is correct.