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Set 7: Rhetorical Synthesis (Intermediate)

Explanation

Answer: C

PASSAGE

A student is writing about the definition of life. The student wants to explore why scientists struggle to define life precisely. Notes: - Viruses share some but not all characteristics of living things. - Proposed definitions often exclude known life forms or include non-living systems. - Different scientific disciplines emphasize different criteria. - Some definitions rely on metabolism; others on reproduction or evolution.

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

A. Scientists continue to debate whether viruses should be classified as living organisms.
B. The search for extraterrestrial life depends on how we define life itself.
C. Defining life precisely is challenging because borderline cases like viruses defy categorization, proposed definitions either exclude life or include non-life, disciplines prioritize different criteria, and no single characteristic—metabolism, reproduction, or evolution—captures all life forms.✓ Correct
D. Life is typically characterized by metabolism, reproduction, and evolution.

Detailed Answer Explanation

This question asks you to effectively combine information to achieve a goal. The goal is WHY scientists STRUGGLE. Borderline cases, definition failures, disciplinary disagreement, and criteria disputes explain the difficulty. 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:

• "why scientists struggle to define life precisely"

• "Viruses share some but not all"

• "exclude known life forms or include non-living"

• "Different scientific disciplines emphasize different"

Why others are wrong: A (Mentions one challenge (viruses) but not full range of struggles.), B (Not in notes; discusses implications, not the struggle to define.), D (Lists characteristics but doesn't explain why definition is difficult.).

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