CAEL Writing: Short Response Synthesis 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a CAEL synthesis response, which approach to the listening passage is most effective?
- Treat the listening passage as more important than the reading passage
- Integrate specific details from the listening passage alongside the reading passage (Correct answer)
- Mention the listening passage only if it agrees with the reading
- Summarize the listening passage first, then the reading passage
Correct answer: Integrate specific details from the listening passage alongside the reading passage
Effective synthesis weaves details from both the listening and reading passages together rather than treating them as separate summaries.
Question 2: Which of the following is the weakest approach to beginning a CAEL short response synthesis?
- The two sources both examine the impact of social media on academic performance.
- Social media affects students in ways that both sources explore through different lenses.
- This essay will discuss the sources about social media. (Correct answer)
- Research on social media reveals competing findings about student performance.
Correct answer: This essay will discuss the sources about social media.
'This essay will discuss' is a weak, formulaic opener that wastes words and does not immediately engage with the content.
Question 3: What does 'thematic synthesis' mean in the context of a short response?
- Copying the main theme sentence from each source
- Organizing your response around shared ideas or themes across sources, not source-by-source (Correct answer)
- Writing one paragraph about each source's theme separately
- Identifying the theme only from the reading passage
Correct answer: Organizing your response around shared ideas or themes across sources, not source-by-source
Thematic synthesis organizes ideas by theme across sources rather than discussing each source individually, producing a more integrated response.
Question 4: A CAEL test-taker finishes their synthesis response and realizes they referenced only one of the two sources. What should they do?
- Submit as is, since one source may be sufficient
- Revise to incorporate specific information from the missing source (Correct answer)
- Add a sentence saying 'the other source also discusses this topic'
- Only mention the second source in the conclusion
Correct answer: Revise to incorporate specific information from the missing source
CAEL evaluators expect evidence of engagement with both sources; a vague mention is insufficient and revision is necessary.
Question 5: Which verb choice best demonstrates academic synthesis language appropriate for a CAEL response?
- 'The author says'
- 'The article synthesizes'
- 'Source B corroborates Source A's claim that...' (Correct answer)
- 'It talks about'
Correct answer: 'Source B corroborates Source A's claim that...'
'Corroborates' is precise academic vocabulary that explicitly shows the relationship between sources, demonstrating synthesis skill.
Question 6: When the reading and listening sources use different examples to support the same point, how should a test-taker handle this in synthesis?
- Choose only the reading source's example since it is more reliable
- Present both examples as evidence of the same broader point (Correct answer)
- Explain that the sources disagree because they use different examples
- Omit the examples and focus only on the main claim
Correct answer: Present both examples as evidence of the same broader point
Different examples supporting the same point are complementary evidence; presenting both strengthens the synthesis.
Question 7: Which revision most improves the following sentence: 'Source A is about climate change. Source B is also about climate change.'
- 'Both Source A and Source B discuss climate change.'
- 'Climate change is discussed in Source A. Climate change is discussed in Source B.'
- 'Both sources examine climate change, with Source A focusing on economic impacts and Source B addressing policy responses.' (Correct answer)
- 'Climate change is an important topic addressed by the sources.'
Correct answer: 'Both sources examine climate change, with Source A focusing on economic impacts and Source B addressing policy responses.'
Adding the specific focus of each source transforms a list into true synthesis by showing how the sources relate and complement each other.
CAEL Writing: Short Response Synthesis 3
In a CAEL synthesis response, which approach to the listening passage is most effective?