PrepTest 130

Incorrect. Neither example discusses a chance discovery—the shift in focus could very well have been intentional.

Correct. Argument or Facts:
Facts

Question Type:
Illustration

Stimulus Summary:
Copernicus - Changed our view of the solar system with existing information, not new information
Jenner - Developed the smallpox vaccine by shifting his focus to prevention instead of a cure

Answer Anticipation:
In Illustration questions that present multiple examples, the key to anticipating the correct answer is identifying the similarities in the examples.

In both of the provided examples, scientists discovered something new by shifting away from how things were traditionally approached. Copernicus used the same information to get a new view of the solar system, shifting how he viewed that data. Jenner shifted his approach from the traditional focus on a cure to the new focus on disease prevention.

Let's find an answer that highlights this similar pattern—a discovery coming from a shift in approach.

Answer Explanation:
Both Copernicus and Jenner made important advances, and they did so from changing how they approached a problem. Copernicus shifted how existing data was viewed; Jenner shifted from focusing on one thing to another. This answer reflects both examples, so it's the correct answer

Key Takeaway:
When an Illustration question presents more than one example, the correct answer will highlight the similarities between those examples, so anticipate an answer based on how the described situations overlap.

Incorrect. While the stimulus brings up only two examples of people looking at something from a new viewpoint, that doesn't mean that these are the only two examples, or that they're exceptions instead of the general rule. In fact, the stimulus notes that history is "replete" with breakthroughs like the ones highlighted, suggesting that they're not particularly rare.

Incorrect. There are a few answers here. First, this answer brings up a comparison between the situations in the stimulus and other situations, but those other situations are discussed at all. Second, this answer is about "better organization," whereas the stimulus was about a shift in focus, which doesn't necessarily imply a reorganization. Third, the stimulus shows that new discoveries that are made without new information are common, and this answer doesn't align with that.

Incorrect. There's no discussion of the ease with which discoveries are made, nor does the stimulus compare different fields.