8

Set 9: Rhetorical Synthesis

Explanation

Answer: D

PASSAGE

A student is writing about antibiotic use in livestock. The student wants to explain the connection to human health. Notes: - 70% of antibiotics in the U.S. are used for livestock. - This contributes to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. - Resistant bacteria can transfer from animals to humans. - Infections from resistant bacteria are harder to treat.

Which choice most effectively uses information from the notes to accomplish the student's goal?

A. Approximately 70% of antibiotics used in the United States are given to livestock.
B. Antibiotic-resistant infections are becoming more difficult for doctors to treat.
C. Many farmers use antibiotics to promote animal growth.
D. Livestock antibiotic use—comprising 70% of U.S. usage—breeds resistant bacteria that can transfer to humans, causing infections that are increasingly difficult to treat.✓ Correct

Detailed Answer Explanation

This question asks you to effectively combine information to achieve a goal. The goal is CONNECTION to human health. The chain: livestock use → resistant bacteria → transfer to humans → hard to treat. The correct synthesis will use relevant details from the notes in a logical, purposeful way. Focus on what the question asks you to accomplish, then choose the answer that best achieves that goal using the provided information. Effective synthesis requires selecting and combining the most relevant information to achieve a specific purpose. Not all provided notes may be equally useful. Focus on what best accomplishes the stated goal while maintaining logical coherence.

Key Evidence:

• "connection to human health"

• "contributes to antibiotic-resistant bacteria"

• "can transfer from animals to humans"

• "Infections...harder to treat"

Why others are wrong: A (States livestock usage but doesn't connect to human health.), C (Not in notes; discusses practice, not human health connection.), B (States treatment difficulty but doesn't connect to livestock.).

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