Question

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

• some powerful works of literature have so influenced readers that new legislation has been passed as a result.
• the interesting narrative of the life of olaudah equiano (1789) is the autobiography of a man who endured slavery on both sides of the atlantic.
• equianos book contributed to the passage of the slave trade act of 1807.
• the jungle (1906) is a fictional work by upton sinclair that describes unsanitary conditions in us meatpacking plants.
• sinclairs book contributed to the passage of the pure food and drug act in 1906.

the student wants to emphasize a difference between the two books.
which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?

choose 1 answer:

a they may have written about different topics, but equiano and sinclair both influenced readers.

b the 1807 slave trade act resulted in part from a book by equiano, while the 1906 pure food and drug act resulted in part from a book by sinclair.

c the interesting narrative of the life of olaudah equiano and the jungle are two works of literature that contributed to new legislation (concerning the slave trade and food safety, respectively).

d although both are powerful works of literature that contributed to new legislation, equianos book is an autobiography, while sinclairs is fictional.

Explanation:

Analyze the student's goal

The student wants to emphasize a difference between the two books mentioned in the notes: The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano and The Jungle.

Evaluate the notes for differences

Using the Rhetorical Synthesis concept, we look for contrasting details about the two books in the notes:

• Equiano's book is an autobiography of a man who endured slavery.
• Sinclair's book (The Jungle) is a fictional work describing unsanitary conditions in meatpacking plants.
• Both books contributed to legislation (similar), but their genres (autobiography vs. fiction) represent a key difference.

Evaluate the options

• (A) emphasizes a similarity (both influenced readers) rather than a difference between the books.
• (B) focuses on the different laws passed, rather than a difference between the two books themselves.
• (C) emphasizes a similarity (both contributed to legislation) and groups them together.
• (D) directly contrasts the nature of the two books: "Equiano's book is an autobiography, while Sinclair's is fictional." This perfectly accomplishes the goal.

Answer:

• (A) They may have written about different topics, but Equiano and Sinclair both influenced readers.
• (B) The 1807 Slave Trade Act resulted in part from a book by Equiano, while the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act resulted in part from a book by Sinclair.
• (C) The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano and The Jungle are two works of literature that contributed to new legislation (concerning the slave trade and food safety, respectively).
• (D) Although both are powerful works of literature that contributed to new legislation, Equiano's book is an autobiography, while Sinclair's is fictional. (Correct answer)