Reading comp PrepTest 155 · Section 3 · Question 17

Passage

This passage was adapted from an article published in 2000.   Competition to make computer chips smaller and, consequently, faster Remaining source text redacted.
Passage walkthrough
Passage Summary Topic:
Science

Paragraph 1
  • Paragraph note
    • Problem (making computer chips smaller) and one possible solution (using peptides)
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • Definition of "transistor": electronic devices that make up computer chips (third sentence)
    • Definition of "peptide": amino acid that makes molecular patterns (last sentence)
    • Cause-and-effect relationships:
      • Competition to make computer chips smaller has caused technologies to advance and economies to grow (first sentence)
    • Comparisons:
      • With current methods, transistors cannot be smaller than 25 nanometers, but living cells can make complex structures smaller (fourth setnece)
      • Most research into making computer chips smaller involves using DNA to assemble smaller computer chips, but Hu/Belcher attempt to use peptides/amino acids (last sentence)
    • Author's attitude: "revolution" (first sentence); "may be hope" (fourth sentence)
Paragraph 2
  • Paragraph note
    • Belcher and Hu's research (developed new peptides to bind to semiconductor materials)
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • Cause-and-effect relationship:
      • A specific peptide causes calcium carbonate to turn into the structure found on abalone shells (second sentence)
    • Comparisons:
      • If a peptide can grow calcium carbonate into an abalone shell, a similar peptide could direct the growth of semiconductor materials to transistors (third sentence)
      • To find more peptides that could attach to semiconductor materials, Belcher and Hu used a process similar to accelerated evolution (last sentence)
    • List of semiconductor materials:
      • silicon, gallium arsenide, indium phosphide crystals (fifth sentence)
    • Author's attitude: "not only ... but also" (sixth sentence); "initially promising" (last sentence)
Paragraph 3
  • Paragraph note
    • Belcher and Hu's remaining goals (find more peptides that bind) and progress (promising)
  • Views, minor Meta-Structures, and the author's attitude
    • Author's view:
      • Belcher and Hu are making promising advancements in finding order to use peptides to bind to semiconductor materials (second through last sentence)
    • Comparison:
      • New peptides that can bind two different crystals function similarly to a glue (fourth sentence)
    • Author's attitude: "making progress" (second sentence); "ballooned into the hundreds" (third sentence); "will take that kind of finesse" (last sentence)


Main Point:
Hu and Belcher's promising research into using peptides to bind to computer-chip materials might allow scientists to work around the current theoretical minimum size of computer chips.

Key Lines?
Paragraph 1, Sentence 2 (P1, S2) - Problem introduced
P2, S3 - Possible solution
P3, S2-4 - Author's evaluation of the solution

Meta-Structure?
Problem/Solution: This passage best fits the Problem/Solution Meta-Structure*. The author describes a problem contemporary — well, actually, 2000s-era — technologists face: how to make computer chips smaller than the laws of physics will allow. The rest of the passage focuses on one potential solution: Belcher and Hu's use of organic compounds known as peptides to bind together computer chip materials.

In a Problem/Solution passage, the author's opinion of the proposed solution is the passage's main point. The author provides their opinion in the last paragraph. The author notes that Belcher and Hu haven't cracked the code yet, but they're making promising advancements. So, we've summarized the main point as, "Hu and Belcher's promising research into using peptides to bind to computer-chip materials might allow scientists to work around the current theoretical minimum size of computer chips."

*Some may see this as an Innovative Subject passage, since Belcher and Hu utilize such a unique approach. If this understanding of the passage makes more sense to you, that's a-OK! The Meta-Structures are here to help us think about a passage's overarching structure and ideas. We don't have to agree on which Meta-Structure a passage has to realize the benefits of the Meta-Structures.

Last Thoughts?
It's important to note, from the last paragraph, that Hu and Belcher haven't solved the problem yet — they're still working on it! The first line of the last paragraph lets us know that they haven't yet been able to assemble a circuit using peptides.

Question prompt

The words "that kind Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right

Credited answer: E

The notes below walk through why it fits the stem and how to eliminate the rest.

Question Type

Science

Answer choices

  1. A
    the ability to translate Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice A is not credited
    Does this answer choice reflect the author's view that Belcher and Hu's research into new peptides that act like glue has promise and requires skill and dexterity?

    Not really. The ability to translate abstract concepts to concrete applications relates to skill and dexterity. But the third paragraph discussed developing new peptides, not "abstract, theoretical concepts in computer design."
  2. B
    the creativity that was Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice B is not credited
    Does this answer choice reflect the author's view that Belcher and Hu's research into new peptides that act like glue has promise and requires skill and dexterity?

    No. "Creativity" might relate to skill and dexterity, but Belcher and Hu's research was not about DNA. In fact, the passage talked about DNA as an alternative solution way back in the first paragraph. It then pivoted to discussing Belcher/Hu's research on peptides, and it never looked back.
  3. C
    the development of sophisticated Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice C is not credited
    Does this answer choice reflect the author's view that Belcher and Hu's research into new peptides that act like glue has promise and requires skill and dexterity?

    Not really. Again, "sophisticated methods" isn't all that different from skill and dexterity. But the fourth paragraph wasn't about observing tiny crystalline structures, so this is yet another answer choice that misdescribes the details of the final paragraph.
  4. D
    the ability to differentiate Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice D is not credited
    Does this answer choice reflect the author's view that Belcher and Hu's research into new peptides that act like glue has promise and requires skill and dexterity?

    Close, but not quite! The "ability" described in this answer choice sounds very skillful and dexterous. But Belcher and Hu's "finesse" referred to designing new peptides that act like glue — not distinguishing peptides that do and do not bind to semiconductor materials. In fact, that's what the second paragraph was about, so this answer is referring to the wrong paragraph!
  5. E
    the ability of researchers Remaining source text redacted.
    Why choice E matches the stem
    Question Type:
    Minor Point/Meaning in Context

    Strategy Overview:
    Review the purpose of the paragraph in which the expression is found, including the expression in question, then use the purpose and the immediate context to define the expression's meaning

    Answer Anticipation:
    This question asks what the author meant when they used the phrase "that kind of finesse." This phrase appeared in the last paragraph, so we should start by defining the role of that paragraph, as that can sometimes provide contextual clues about the author's meaning. Our note for the last paragraph is, "Belcher and Hu's remaining goals (find more peptides that bind) and progress (promising)."

    The phrase "that kind of finesse" is used in the latter half of the paragraph, where the author describes their research as promising. Specifically, "finesse" refers to designing peptides that act as glue between two other elements (P3, S4). The phrase "finesse" also generally connotes skill and dexterity, and it seems like creating new peptides that bind together semiconductor materials refers matches that meaning. So, let's look for an answer choice that reflects the view that Belcher and Hu's research has promise and requires skill and dexterity.

    Answer Choice Explanation:
    Does this answer choice reflect the author's view that Belcher and Hu's research into new peptides that act like glue has promise and requires skill and dexterity?

    Finally, yes. The third paragraph discusses what still needs to be done to create a circuit. Specifically, it describes finding a peptide that acts as a glue between elements. As such, the "finesse" discussed must refer to the development of peptides that can do things like stick specific materials to each other — a very specific circuit-construction need.

    Key Takeaway:
    In these questions asking about what a phrase refers to, it can be easy to focus just on the line in question. Be sure to expand your view to include the purpose of the paragraph, as the line must in some way help to advance that purpose. While every answer choice gave a satisfactory definition of "finesse," each incorrect answer misdescribed the purpose and content of the third paragraph.

What this tests

Question analytics

Based on historical answer selection rates for this question.

Answer choice distribution

  1. A 4%
  2. B 10%
  3. C 13%
  4. D 7%
  5. E Credited 65%

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Discussion

  • Why not c? 2 replies

    Started by kristinsmith04

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