Module I: Reading and Writing

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Scientists previously thought that all electric eels belong to a single species, but a team of researchers led by zoologist C. David de Santana proved this idea wrong by ______ that there are in fact three distinct species of electric eels.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
1
Mark for Review
requiring
demonstrating
complaining
pretending
In 2008 a complete set of ancient pessoi (glass game pieces) was uncovered from beneath a paving stone in modern-day Israel. Due to their small size, pessoi were easily misplaced, making a whole set a rare find. This has led some experts to suggest that the set may have been buried intentionally; however, without clear evidence, archaeologists are left to ______ what happened.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
2
Mark for Review
dismiss
catalog
speculate about
expand on
In the Indigenous intercropping system known as the Three Sisters, maize, squash, and beans form an ______ web of relations: maize provides the structure on which the bean vines grow; the squash vines cover the soil, discouraging competition from weeds; and the beans aid their two “sisters” by enriching the soil with essential nitrogen.
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word or phrase?
3
Mark for Review
indecipherable
ornamental
obscure
intricate
Text 1
Ecologists have long wondered how thousands of microscopic phytoplankton species can live together near ocean surfaces competing for the same resources. According to conventional wisdom, one species should emerge after competing the rest. So why do so many species remain? Ecologists’ many efforts to explain this phenomenon still haven’t uncovered a satisfactory explanation.
Text 2
Ecologist Michael Behrenfeld and colleagues have connected phytoplankton’s diversity to their microscopic size. Because these organisms are so tiny, they are spaced relatively far apart from each other in ocean water and, moreover, experience that water as a relatively dense substance. This in turn makes it hard for them to move around and interact with one another. Therefore, says Behrenfeld’s team, direct competition among phytoplankton probably happens much less than previously thought.
Based on the texts, how would Behrenfeld and colleagues (Text 2) most likely respond to the “conventional wisdom” discussed in Text 1?
4
Mark for Review
By arguing that it is based on a misconception about phytoplankton species competing with one another
By asserting that it fails to recognize that routine replenishment of ocean nutrients prevents competition between phytoplankton species
By suggesting that their own findings help clarify how phytoplankton species are able to compete with larger organisms
By recommending that more ecologists focus their research on how competition among phytoplankton species is increased with water density
Text 1
Researchers recently discovered a new species of bacteria, isolated from a mangrove forest in Vietnam, that produces a natural antibiotic compound. The antibiotic compound, which the researchers labeled compound X, has shown activity against several pathogens, including the bacteria that cause tuberculosis and the fungus that causes candidiasis. The researchers have concluded that compound X is a promising candidate for developing new drugs to treat these infections.
Text 2
A group of biochemists tested the effects of compound X on human cells and DNA. They found that the compound caused significant damage to the DNA of both normal and cancerous cells, leading to cell death and mutations. The researchers asserted that compound X may be too toxic for therapeutic use, and that its mechanism of action may involve interfering with DNA repair enzymes.
Based on the texts, how would the group of biochemists (Text 2) most likely characterize the conclusion presented in Text 1?
5
Mark for Review
As practical, because it addresses the potential toxicity of compound X
As misguided, because evidence shows that compound X may be harmful to human cells and DNA
As preliminary, because it requires further testing and validation of compound X’s safety and efficacy
As credible, because it provides strong support for compound X’s potential as a new drug for tuberculosis and candidiasis
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