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Set 7: Rhetorical Synthesis (Intermediate)

Explanation

Answer: D

PASSAGE

A student is writing about the concept of historical memory. The student wants to analyze how societies construct collective memories that differ from historical fact. Notes: - Monuments and memorials shape public understanding of events. - Certain narratives are emphasized while others are suppressed. - Collective memory serves present political and social purposes. - Historical memory can differ significantly from documented events.

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

A. Some historical narratives are emphasized while others are marginalized.
B. Historians work to distinguish between memory and documented historical fact.
C. Monuments and memorials help communities remember significant historical events.
D. Societies construct collective memories through monuments and selective narratives that often diverge from documented history, emphasizing certain accounts while suppressing others to serve contemporary political and social purposes.✓ Correct

Detailed Answer Explanation

This question asks you to effectively combine information to achieve a goal. The goal is ANALYZE how societies CONSTRUCT memories differing from fact. Monuments, selective narratives, suppression, and present purposes explain construction. 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:

• "how societies construct collective memories that differ from historical fact"

• "Monuments and memorials shape"

• "narratives are emphasized while others are suppressed"

• "serves present political and social purposes"

Why others are wrong: C (Presents monuments positively; doesn't analyze construction or divergence.), B (Not in notes; discusses historian work, not society's construction.), A (States selection occurs but doesn't analyze the full construction process.).

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