Text 1: Technology critic Nicholas Drake laments smartphone ubiquity. "Constant connectivity fragments attention and erodes deep thinking," Drake writes. "We've traded contemplation for distraction. Smartphones diminish our cognitive capacities."
Text 2: Digital media scholar Dr. Sara Ming questions nostalgic framings. "Each communication technology—printing, telephone, television—sparked similar anxieties," Ming observes. "Humans adapt to tools. Panic about cognitive decline lacks historical perspective."
How would Ming most likely characterize Drake's concerns?
As unprecedented and uniquely justified
As a recurring pattern that has historically proven unfounded
As supported by rigorous contemporary research
As unrelated to technology
Correct Answer: B
Choice B is the correct answer. Ming explicitly notes similar anxieties accompanied "each communication technology." She frames Drake's worries as part of a recurring pattern that humans eventually adapted through.
- Evidence: Ming: previous technologies sparked "similar anxieties."
- Reasoning: Historical pattern suggests current fears may also be unfounded.
- Conclusion: Ming sees Drake's concerns as familiar, not exceptional.
Choice A is incorrect because Ming denies uniqueness. Choice C is incorrect because Ming questions, not supports, the premise. Choice D is incorrect because both discuss technology explicitly.