FREE SAT Rhetorical Synthesis Questions and Answers 2

Question 1

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

*   The 'Great Man' theory of history posits that history is shaped by the actions of exceptional individuals.
*   Historian Thomas Carlyle, a major proponent, argued that 'the history of the world is but the biography of great men.'
*   The Annales School of history, developed in France, counters this by focusing on long-term social and economic structures.
*   Annales historians like Fernand Braudel studied topics like climate patterns and trade routes over centuries.
*   A potential synthesis is that 'great individuals' are often products of the very societal structures the Annales School emphasizes.

The student wants to present a counterargument to the 'Great Man' theory, using information from the notes. Which choice most effectively accomplishes this goal?

Accepted Answer

The Annales School, in contrast to the 'Great Man' theory, emphasizes the role of long-term social and economic structures, such as trade routes, in shaping history.

Answer

The goal is to present a counterargument to the 'Great Man' theory. Choice C directly contrasts this theory with the Annales School's focus on long-term structures, effectively presenting an opposing viewpoint. Choice A only defines the theory. Choice B presents both as valid without creating a counterargument. Choice D presents a synthesis, which is a different rhetorical goal than presenting a counterargument.

Question 2

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

*   Architect Antoni Gaudí is famous for his work in the Catalan Modernisme style.
*   His most famous work is the Sagrada Família in Barcelona.
*   Architect Frank Lloyd Wright is a key figure in the Prairie School movement of architecture.
*   Wright's 'Fallingwater' residence is a prime example of his philosophy of organic architecture.
*   Both architects integrated natural forms and structures into their designs.
*   Gaudí was inspired by the shapes of plants and mountains, while Wright sought to blend his buildings with their natural surroundings.

The student wants to write a sentence that emphasizes a specific, shared design philosophy between Gaudí and Wright, but also notes their distinct approaches. Which choice best achieves this goal?

Accepted Answer

While both Antoni Gaudí and Frank Lloyd Wright integrated natural forms into their architecture, Gaudí was inspired by specific natural shapes whereas Wright focused on blending the entire structure with its environment.

Answer

This choice effectively accomplishes the two-part goal. It first establishes the shared philosophy ('integrated natural forms into their architecture') and then clearly distinguishes their specific methods ('Gaudí was inspired by specific natural shapes whereas Wright focused on blending the entire structure with its environment'). The other options either state general facts (A, C) or only mention the similarity without the crucial distinction (D).

Question 3

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

*   Bioluminescence is the production of light by a living organism.
*   Fluorescence is the emission of light by a substance that has absorbed light.
*   An organism must have a chemical reaction involving luciferin and luciferase to be truly bioluminescent.
*   Some coral species appear to glow, but they are actually fluorescent.
*   These corals have proteins that absorb blue ocean light and re-emit it as a different color, like green or red.
*   A key distinction: bioluminescence is a created light source, while fluorescence is a converted light source.

The student wants to classify a glowing coral for an audience unfamiliar with the distinction between bioluminescence and fluorescence. Which choice most effectively uses the notes to achieve this?

Accepted Answer

While they appear to produce their own light, some coral species are actually fluorescent, meaning their proteins absorb and convert light rather than creating it through a chemical reaction.

Answer

This choice is the most effective because it directly addresses the potential confusion for an unfamiliar audience. It starts with the observation ('appear to produce their own light'), introduces the correct term ('fluorescent'), and then explains the mechanism ('absorb and convert light rather than creating it through a chemical reaction'), thereby clarifying the misconception. The other choices either define the terms separately (B, D) or describe the coral without clarifying the distinction for a novice audience (C).

Question 4

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

*   The theory of Linguistic Relativity, also known as the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, suggests that the structure of a language affects its speakers' worldview or cognition.
*   The 'strong' version of the hypothesis claims that language *determines* thought.
*   The 'weak' version suggests that language merely *influences* thought.
*   Most modern linguists have rejected the 'strong' version due to a lack of evidence.
*   For example, just because a language lacks a specific word for a color does not mean its speakers cannot perceive that color.
*   However, many linguists accept the 'weak' version, citing studies showing language can make it easier or harder to think about certain concepts.

The student wants to accurately represent the current scientific consensus on the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. Which choice most effectively accomplishes this goal?

Accepted Answer

While the 'strong' version of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis (that language determines thought) has been widely rejected, the 'weak' version (that language influences thought) is generally accepted by modern linguists.

Answer

This choice accurately synthesizes the key information from the notes to reflect the current scientific consensus. It correctly identifies that the 'strong' version is rejected while the 'weak' version is accepted, which is the main takeaway from the notes regarding the modern view. Choice B is an oversimplification, as it ignores the acceptance of the 'weak' version. Choice A defines the two versions but doesn't state the consensus. Choice C is a vague, general statement that doesn't capture the nuance of the scientific debate.

Question 5

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:

*   Skepticism in philosophy is the position of doubting knowledge claims.
*   Pyrrhonian skepticism, founded by Pyrrho of Elis, advocates for suspending judgment (epoché) on all non-evident matters.
*   The goal of Pyrrhonism is to achieve a state of tranquility, or *ataraxia*.
*   Cartesian skepticism, from René Descartes, uses methodical doubt as a tool to find beliefs that are absolutely certain.
*   Descartes famously doubted everything until he arrived at 'I think, therefore I am' as an indubitable truth.
*   Pyrrhonism is a way of life; Cartesian skepticism is a methodological starting point.

The student wants to emphasize a fundamental difference in the *purpose* of doubt for Pyrrhonian and Cartesian skeptics. Which choice most effectively uses the information to do so?

Accepted Answer

While both schools of thought employ doubt, Pyrrhonian skeptics doubt in order to achieve tranquility, whereas Cartesian skeptics doubt in order to find certainty.

Answer

This choice most directly addresses the prompt's focus on the *purpose* of doubt. It clearly contrasts the goal of Pyrrhonism ('to achieve tranquility') with the goal of Cartesianism ('to find certainty'), using the information synthesized from the notes. Options A and C describe differences in methods or outcomes, but not the core purpose. Option D describes the overall nature of each philosophy but is less specific about the purpose of the doubt itself.

Bluebook SAT Practice Test Practice Test

Bluebook SAT Practice Test Practice Test

FREE SAT Rhetorical Synthesis Questions and Answers 2