In 2010, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) disc

Question

In 2010, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) discovered a new species of bacteria, called the GFAJ-1 strain, that for a while promised to change our understanding of how living things survive. Deep in the waters of Mono Lake in California, NASA scientists discovered a form of bacteria that seemed to use arsenic, plentiful in its habitat, to make DNA and proteins. Most life forms are made from six main building blocks: carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, and phosphorus. Arsenic is toxic to most known organisms, but the GFAJ-1 strain can tolerate high concentrations of arsenic, and initial studies suggested that it could even incorporate the chemical into its cells. Some scientists claimed that this discovery had opened new possibilities for life elsewhere in the universe, as the existence of such a microbe would show that organisms can exist in chemical environments that scientists may not have considered.    1 
 1. Which of the following statements best summarizes the passage?

A. The presence of arsenic-based bacteria would prove that there is life on other planets.
B. Scientists have discovered that arsenic is not toxic to most known organisms.
C. Claims made about the GFAJ-1 strain challenged scientists’ perception of how living organisms survive.
D. If GFAJ-1 were established as using arsenic to build its DNA, scientists would need to consider adding this element to the six main building blocks of life.
E. The ecosystem of Mono Lake is a scientific phenomenon that scientists will be studying for years.

2 
 2. According to the information in the passage, upon discovery of the GFAJ-1 strain, some scientists believed it was

A. a water-based bacteria that had a high tolerance for toxins
B. one of the six building blocks of life
C. a form of arsenic that was toxic to most living organisms
D. a strain of bacteria that incorporated arsenic into its cells
E. a form of DNA that did not need phosphorus to grow

3 
 3. Based on the information in the passage, what reasonable conclusions can be drawn?

I. If a species of bacteria can use arsenic in cell development, it is possible that planets that have high levels of arsenic might be able to support living organisms.
II. If the GFAJ-1 strain’s chemical processes do not follow the same patterns as those of other organisms, the strain must have originated on another planet.
III. If scientists have discovered a living organism that uses arsenic in place of one of the six building blocks of life, it is possible that there may be other chemicals in addition to arsenic that can support life.

A. I Only
B. III Only
C. I and III Only
D. II and III Only
E. I, II, and III

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abhishektyga · Answer

Please provide explanation for Q3.
Thanks

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

3. Based on the information in the passage, what reasonable conclusions can be drawn?

Explanation

This question asks you to evaluate the statement and identify the conclusions you can validly draw using the information from the passage.

Choice (I)  is a reasonable conclusion because it is based on the claim cited in the passage that arsenic-based bacteria would have  “opened new possibilities for life elsewhere in the universe.”

(II)  is not based on any information stated in the passage. The passage suggests that the discovery of this new bacteria had implications for the likelihood of finding life on other planets, but it does not suggest that the bacteria came from another planet.

(III)  is a reasonable conclusion because the passage states that initial studies of GFAJ-1 suggested that  “organisms can exist in chemical environments that scientists may not have considered.”

Answer: C

Carolweszxdrcftvb · Answer

Please provide explanation for Q1.
Thanks

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation

1. Which of the following statements best summarizes the passage?

Explanation

This question asks you to identify the most accurate summary of the passage. Use your summary of the topic, scope, and purpose of the passage as a prediction of the correct answer. This author is writing to inform the reader about a discovery that was initially exciting: scientists discovered a new bacterium that seemed to have the remarkable ability to use arsenic, and this discovery challenged assumptions about the building blocks of life. That matches the correct answer,  (C) .

Choice (A)  is extreme; the passage states that the new discovery introduced new possibilities for life in other parts of our universe, but it does not state that this discovery would prove that there is life in other parts of our universe.

(B)  contradicts the passage; in fact,  "arsenic is toxic to most known organisms."

(D)  does not reflect the passage’s main point, which is broader than how many elements can be considered  "building blocks of life."

(E)  misses the boat by focusing on a detail in the passage and making a prediction that is not supported.

Answer: C

Semwal10 · Answer

Can you please provide an explanation for Q2?
Thanks in advance.

Nidhibatra · Answer

3rd statement in 3rd question states using arsenic in place of other building blocks, but nowhere in passage it is stated that arsenic is used instead of other building blocks, it merely states that arsenic is being used in large quantities. Shouldn’t that statement be wrong?

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Sajjad1994 · Answer

Official Explanation    
   2. According to the information in the passage, upon discovery of the GFAJ-1 strain, some scientists believed it was
Explanation  
The correct answer to this Detail question is directly stated in the passage. GFAJ-1 can tolerate arsenic and  "initial studies suggested that it could even incorporate the chemical into its cells.”   Choices (A)  and  (D)  both state that the GFAJ-1 strain is a form of bacteria. However,  (A)  states that it is a water-based bacteria, which is not supported by information in the passage.  (D)  states that the GFAJ-1 strain was believed to be a type of bacteria that incorporates arsenic into its cells, which (as noted above) is directly stated in the passage. This is the correct answer.
Eliminate  (B)  because it states that the GFAJ-1 strain is a building block of life, not a bacteria strain that is made up of building blocks of life.
Eliminate  (C)  because it states that the GFAJ-1 strain is a form of arsenic, not a bacteria strain that was thought to be arsenic based.
Similarly, eliminate  (E)  because it states that the GFAJ-1 strain is a form of DNA, whereas the passage says that it seemed to develop DNA from arsenic.
  Answer: D

In 2010, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) disc

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In 2010, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) disc

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