Question

Difficulty: HardRhetorical Synthesis: Summarization and Generalization

While researching the Greenland shark, a student takes the following notes:
* The Greenland shark (*Somniosus microcephalus*) is a large deep-water species native to the North Atlantic.
* In a 2016 study, marine biologist Julius Nielsen and his team used radiocarbon dating on the eye lenses of 28 female Greenland sharks to estimate their ages.
* The researchers estimated the oldest shark in the study to be approximately 392 years old.
* The study concluded that the Greenland shark is the longest-lived vertebrate species known on Earth.
* Greenland sharks grow very slowly, at a rate of about one centimeter per year, and do not reach sexual maturity until they are about 150 years old.

The student wants to summarize the 2016 study and its primary finding. Which choice most effectively uses information from the given notes to accomplish this goal?

  1. A
    Native to the North Atlantic, the Greenland shark is a large deep-water species that grows slowly at one centimeter per year and takes 150 years to reach sexual maturity.
  2. B
    During a 2016 study of 28 female Greenland sharks, researchers determined that the sharks grow very slowly and do not reach sexual maturity until they are about 150 years old.
  3. In a 2016 study, Julius Nielsen and his team used radiocarbon dating on Greenland shark eye lenses to estimate their ages, concluding that the species is the longest-lived vertebrate on Earth.Answer
  4. D
    By studying deep-water species in the North Atlantic, a 2016 study established that all marine vertebrates can live up to 512 years through slow growth rates.

Answer

In a 2016 study, Julius Nielsen and his team used radiocarbon dating on Greenland shark eye lenses to estimate their ages, concluding that the species is the longest-lived vertebrate on Earth.
The correct option effectively summarizes the 2016 study by mentioning the researchers' methodology (radiocarbon dating on eye lenses) and its primary conclusion (that the Greenland shark is the longest-lived vertebrate on Earth).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the prompt to determine the student's specific rhetorical goal.
The goal is to summarize the 2016 study (specifically mentioning its methodology or authors) and present its primary finding (that the Greenland shark is the longest-lived vertebrate on Earth).
Understanding the precise writing goal is necessary to filter out choices that focus on minor details or omit the study context entirely.
2
Evaluate the choices based on the notes and the identified rhetorical goal.
The option highlighting Nielsen's 2016 study using radiocarbon dating to determine that the Greenland shark is the longest-lived vertebrate successfully captures both the study's premise and its major conclusion. The other options either fail to mention the study, focus on secondary details (growth rate/maturity), or make unsupported generalizations about all marine vertebrates.
Evaluating all options ensures the selected choice is factually supported by the notes and matches the required rhetorical scope.

Key Concept

Synthesizing information from bulleted research notes to formulate a summary that encapsulates a study's key methodology and primary conclusion.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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