Rhetorical Synthesis

SAT Reading and Writing· difficulty 4/5

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

<ul> <li>In 1859, the colonist Thomas Austin released 24 European rabbits in Australia for hunting.</li> <li>By 1920, rabbit populations exceeded 10 billion.</li> <li>Rabbits caused massive damage to native vegetation and wildlife.</li> <li>Rabbits had no natural predators in Australia.</li> <li>Successive control programs (poisons, fences, biological agents) have only partially reduced the population.</li> </ul> The student wants to emphasize the lasting consequences of a small initial action. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

Which choice most effectively makes the student's point?

  • A

    From only 24 rabbits released by Thomas Austin in 1859, Australia's rabbit population swelled to more than 10 billion by 1920, devastating native ecosystems.

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  • B

    Rabbits had no natural predators in Australia.

  • C

    Successive Australian control programs have only partially reduced rabbit populations.

  • D

    Rabbits damaged native vegetation and wildlife.

Explanation

To emphasize lasting consequences from a small action, the sentence must connect the small initial number to the large outcome. Choice B does so explicitly with the 24-to-10-billion arc. The others address one side.

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