PrepTest 106, Section 1, Question 18
Essayist: The way science is conducted and regulated(79 more words not shown)
Which one of the following(10 more words not shown)
- AWe should not(9 more words not shown)
- BIf we regulate(10 more words not shown)
- CThe regulation of(9 more words not shown)
- DThe imposition of(10 more words not shown)
- EWe need to(13 more words not shown)
Reading the argument
We can change the rules for science. Should we? That's a separate question, and the essayist wants us to consider what the changes would cost before answering it. That seems reasonable. Ending animal research immediately might address one concern while forcing scientists to abandon some work and spend much more on other work. Those costs don't automatically make the change wrong, but we need to weigh them.
The same goes for the proposed fraud police. Catching fraud could be valuable; an intrusive system might also make legitimate research harder to carry out. We'd want to know what we gain and what we give up. The essayist's examples develop that general concern about the price of changing how science works.
What we’re looking for
We're asked for the main conclusion. Look for the advice those examples support: consider the impact before deciding whether the changes are warranted. The essayist hasn't decided that every change would be a mistake.
Working the answers
- A
Too strong. The essayist says that major interventions would change the character of science and that we need to consider their price. That's a reason to think carefully, not a blanket rule against changing science's character. A change could still be worth making after we assess its costs and benefits.
- B
This describes a consequence of regulation, but it doesn't give the main advice. Why bring up the possibility of changing science's character? To show that the decision has consequences we need to weigh. The essayist's point isn't just to predict a change; it's to tell us how to approach the decision.
- C
This is the starting point. Changes are possible. The essayist then asks whether they're warranted and gives reasons to consider the price. Stopping at what we can do leaves out the argument about deciding what we should do.
- D
Cost is an important part of the support. The discussion of expensive research and massive interventions gives us reasons to examine the price of proposed changes. But the broader conclusion is the recommendation to take that price into account, not simply the observation that restrictions would be costly.
- ECorrect
This captures the recommendation: understand the impact before making changes. The examples of abandoned research, greater expense, and a changed scientific enterprise explain why that awareness matters. The choice leaves open the possibility that, once we've considered the impact, some changes will be justified.
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