SAT Reading and Writing · Rhetorical Synthesis Practice Question

While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes: <ul> <li>Mercury and Venus are both inner planets.</li> <li>Mercury has almost no atmosphere; surface temperatures swing from -180°C to 430°C.</li> <li>Venus has a thick CO2 atmosphere; surface temperatures stay around 465°C.</li> <li>Mercury's day (one rotation) lasts 59 Earth days.</li> <li>Venus's day lasts 243 Earth days, longer than its year.</li> </ul> The student wants to contrast the two planets' atmospheric and temperature conditions. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

Which choice most effectively makes the student's point?

A
$Venus's day is longer than its year.$
B
$Both Mercury and Venus are inner planets.$
C
$Mercury, with almost no atmosphere, swings between -180°C and 430°C, whereas Venus's thick CO2 atmosphere keeps it steadily around 465°C.$
check_circle
D
$Mercury rotates in 59 Earth days, while Venus rotates in 243 Earth days.$

Explanation

The goal is contrasting atmosphere and temperature. Choice C does both directly. A contrasts only rotation, B is similarity, D is unrelated.

Related questions