Question 93·Hard·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has compiled the following notes about high-speed rail:
• Economist Mark Rosen argues that for "every dollar spent on high-speed rail infrastructure, society gains about two dollars in long-term economic value."
• A 2021 Congressional Budget Office report estimates that constructing high-speed rail in the United States currently costs about $50 million per mile.
• Transportation scholar Alina Gomez warns that early ridership projections are "frequently optimistic," noting that some existing lines operate at a loss.
• An analysis by the International Transport Forum found that new high-speed rail corridors reduce domestic aviation emissions by approximately 5 percent.
The student is drafting a sentence for an essay that acknowledges concerns about construction costs while emphasizing the potential long-term economic benefits of high-speed rail.
Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions like this, always start by restating the task in your own words (what must the sentence do?). Then, scan the notes and label each as cost-related, benefit-related, risk-related, environmental, etc. Next, quickly eliminate any choices that (1) bring in ideas not supported by the notes, or (2) satisfy only part of the task (for example, mention costs but not benefits). Finally, choose the option that both matches the notes accurately and fulfills all parts of the prompt’s goal in one clear sentence.
Hints
Clarify the writing goal
Underline the two parts of the task in the question: the sentence must both recognize the high construction costs and stress positive long-term economic outcomes.
Locate relevant notes
Which bullet points mention how expensive high-speed rail is? Which ones mention economic payoffs (money gained), as opposed to environmental or ridership issues?
Filter answer choices by both requirements
Eliminate any answer choice that only talks about cost problems or only talks about environmental or ridership issues. The correct choice must include cost concerns and positive long-term economic results in the same sentence.
Step-by-step Explanation
Restate what the sentence needs to do
The prompt says the student wants a sentence that (1) acknowledges concerns about construction costs and (2) emphasizes the potential long-term economic benefits of high-speed rail.
So the right answer must include both:
- A nod to high construction costs, and
- A clear statement of positive long-term economic payoff.
Match each note to the task
Look back at the notes and identify which ones deal with costs and which deal with economic benefits:
- Mark Rosen: says every dollar spent brings about two dollars in long-term economic value (this is about long-term economic benefits).
- Congressional Budget Office: says construction costs about 50 million dollars per mile (this is about high costs).
- Alina Gomez: warns about optimistic ridership and some lines operating at a loss (this is about risks/downsides, not benefits).
- International Transport Forum: says rail cuts aviation emissions by 5 percent (this is about environmental impact, not economics).
The sentence we want should combine the idea of high construction cost with the idea of strong long-term economic returns.
Check each answer against the goal and the notes
Now compare the answer choices to the goal:
- Choice A talks about high costs and overly optimistic ridership, but does not mention any long-term economic benefits; it stays negative.
- Choice B talks about environmental benefits, not construction costs or long-term economic value.
- Choice D focuses on operating at a loss and doubts about economic viability, which undercuts the idea of long-term economic benefits instead of emphasizing them.
- Choice C explicitly mentions the steep 50-million-per-mile price tag (acknowledging the high cost) and says that every dollar invested yields two dollars in value (emphasizing long-term economic benefit), directly using the notes from Mark Rosen and the cost estimate.
Therefore, the best choice is: “Mark Rosen observes that every 2, offsetting the steep $50 million-per-mile construction price tag.”