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Official Explanation

1. Which of the following is mentioned in the passage as an obstacle to calculating the return on investment of a particular technology?

Difficulty Level: 700

Explanation

Paragraph two explains that new technologies are often developed as solutions for specific obstacles along a larger research path. Technologies developed in this manner are not distinct pieces of research. Instead, they are a means of achieving the goals of a larger project. Choice D is thus the most appropriate choice.

Answer: D
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JayPatadiya
Easy passage, took 7 mins to answer all the questions, Got 2 correct and 1 incorrect.

I didn't knew meaning of arduous in the option C of 3rd question hence marked A.

Otherwise 3rd could have been correct as well.

Dictionary meaning of "arduous" is "involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring."
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1. Which of the following is mentioned in the passage as an obstacle to calculating the return on investment of a particular technology?

(A) it is difficult to project the possible revenue potential of a new technological development -
This statement is not a cause

(B) accounting of laboratory budgets is difficult due to the infrequency of the grant bestowment cycle
Not mentioned anything about accounting

(C) new biomedical technologies offer many benefits to humanity that can not be quantified monetarily
Return on investment is calculated a finance term. Simply associated it cost and revenue. Qualitative benefits don't add up to ROI

(D) a technology may be developed as a means to an end, not as the result of a specific path of research
Mentioned in 2nd paragraph "which may or may not be a distinct piece of research. Rather, it may be a necessary sidestep within the larger project, and the costs of development are, for the most part, very difficult to isolate."

(E) variable costs may be imposed upon research and development that builds upon existing patentable technology
No. This is also not mentioned

2. Why does the author mention "scientifically curious minds" in the last sentence of the first paragraph?
Question is asking us why has the author specifically mentioned a trait i.e "scientifically curious minds" rather than just mentioning scientists. So the correct answer choice should tell us the role of the trait "scientifically curious minds"

(A) to describe a desired component of research and development that also obstructs the calculation of return on investment:
scientifically curious minds is a desired aspect of R&d work. But due to the nature of these minds plans research plans keep changing and often don't have a definite starting point. I.e they are ever evolving.
This is the correct answer as it tells us that "scientifically curious minds" is needed for research but it causes a problem in determining ROI



(B) because research and development projects are generally dominated by scientists
[color=#f6989d]Yes, research work is dominated by scientists and "scientifically curious minds" is talking about the scientists. The author could have simply used scientists but he used scientifically curious minds.. that means hes trying to say something about the trait - This option is not correct[/color]


(C) to demonstrate one of the negative personality traits commonly found in biomedical researcher laboratories
No scientifically curious minds is not a negative trait since its a required quality for research work

(D) to introduce them as a result of several factors related to the costs of biomedical discovery
This one could be a close competitor. But I think it is ambiguous at best. Because it doesn't provide a reasoning on the usage of "scientifically curious minds"


3. The author views the attempt to quantify the costs and benefits of a newly developed technology as
The 3rd one is easy. It literally just requires us to understand the last line of the passage

(A) a necessary compromise : Author doesn't present this view
(B) a repetitive task : Irrelevant
(
C) an arduous undertaking : Arduous means difficult. Re-read the last paragraph
(
D) an unqualified disaster : What? No completely out of scope
(E) a short-term phenomenon : Infact quite the opposite

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