PrepTest 155
[lcid:3718] Prep Test 155 LSAT — Reading Comp — S3
Reading comp
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
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.
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 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)
- Cause-and-effect relationship:
- 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)
- Author's view:
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
Which one of the
Remaining source text redacted.
Why the credited answer is right
Credited answer: B
The notes below walk through why it fits the stem and how to eliminate the rest.
Question Type
Science
Answer choices
-
ABelcher and Hu's early Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice A is not credited
Does this answer choice make it more likely that Belcher and Hu will find many more peptides that can bind to semiconductor materials or that they'll develop peptides that can bind materials together?
No. Renewing interest in another solution to the problem doesn't strengthen an argument that Belcher and Hu's solution will eventually find commercial application. -
BFor almost any semiconductor Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice B matches the stem
Question Type:
Application/Strengthen
Strategy Overview:
Determine any weaknesses in Belcher and Hu's research into a commercial application of peptides and semiconductors to anticipate how to improve it, and select the answer choice that makes their research more convincing
Answer Anticipation:
We'll approach Strengthen questions in Reading Comprehension in a very similar manner as we would in Logical Reasoning. We can review the claim from the passage, just like we'd carefully read an argument in LR. We'll then interrogate the claim for any weaknesses, since the correct answer on both RC and LR will probably strengthen the claim by fixing a problem. Additionally, causation flaws are commonplace on Strengthen questions in both RC and LR, so we'll be especially mindful of those.
In this case, we're asked to pick the answer choice that will strengthen the likelihood that Belcher and Hu's research will result in a commercial application of peptides and semiconductors. Were there any weaknesses or shortcomings in their research?
The last paragraph describes outstanding issues that must be addressed before Belcher and Hu's research solution can create nanoscale electronics. Reviewing that paragraph, we'll see that Hu says more compounds that can bind to materials need to be found (P3, S1). The author also notes that Belcher and Hu will need to find compounds that can bind the various materials together (P3, S4-5). Let's find an answer establishing that these are possible or even likely.
Answer Choice Explanation:
Does this answer choice make it more likely that Belcher and Hu will find many more peptides that can bind to semiconductor materials or that they'll develop peptides that can bind materials together?
Yes! Hu and Belcher have found peptides that can bind to a subset of semiconductor materials. If these materials are fairly interchangeable, then they don't need to find peptides that can bind to all of them — in fact, they may already have found peptides that can bind to enough of them to make a circuit. In lowering the number of peptides that Hu and Belcher would need to discover to make their solution workable, this answer strengthens the argument that they will eventually be able to turn their research into a viable product. This answer is thus correct.
Key Takeaway:
Strengthen questions in RC tend to be much more straightforward than in LR. For these, don't try to make a case for an answer choice. If you don't see it directly addressing the contention that needs strengthening, defer on it! -
CThe number of peptides Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice C is not credited
Does this answer choice make it more likely that Belcher and Hu will find many more peptides that can bind to semiconductor materials or that they'll develop peptides that can bind materials together?
Not at all — this weakens the likelihood that Belcher and Hu's research will yield commercial applications. The passage notes that peptides that bind to two crystals at once is necessary ("It will take"), so if those peptides are more limited than the peptides that can bind to only a single material at once, that's a problem for Belcher and Hu. -
DThe one billion peptides Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice D is not credited
Does this answer choice make it more likely that Belcher and Hu will find many more peptides that can bind to semiconductor materials or that they'll develop peptides that can bind materials together?
No. If anything, being able to create fewer and fewer peptides to test suggests that Belcher and Hu may have already tested the majority of possible peptides, limiting their future research and implying that they may not end up with a viable process. -
EExpectations of continuing high Remaining source text redacted.
Why choice E is not credited
Does this answer choice make it more likely that Belcher and Hu will find many more peptides that can bind to semiconductor materials or that they'll develop peptides that can bind materials together?
Nope. Similar to (D), high costs and fewer other researchers looking into this solution would be a bar to further development, suggesting the prediction might turn out to be wrong.
What this tests
Discussion
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Why B? 2 replies
Started by NK848