#23 - Global Reference, Must Be True, Purpose

[Administrator]

Complete Question Explanation

The correct answer choice is (B).

Answer choice (A):

Answer choice (B): This is the correct choice.

Answer choice (C):

Answer choice (D):

Answer choice (E):

This explanation is still in progress. Please post any questions below!

[T.B.Justin]

Hey,

I had notated "maybe" next to the correct answer choice B, however I went on to eliminate A, B, and D, and since I found that questions raised in paragraph 2 is a theme of the passage, and consequently selected answer C.

Does the hereditary mechanism in the immune system that Steele claims to have found evidence for relevant to "organisms change in adapting to their environment and then pass on to their offspring the new characteristics they have acquired" (ln 4-7).

Basically, does the immune system qualify as the environment.


Thanks!

[Bread&Jam]

I got thrown off by this answer, because in the passage it clearly states that Steele is a molecular immunologist, not a biologist. I know that immunology is a field within biology, but I felt that it was a trick answer and ended up going with D instead and was wrong

[James Finch]

Hi Guys,

TB-- Absolutely the immune system would qualify as an environment, and is this environment in which the Lamarckian theory is being brought back. As to why (C) is incorrect, the passage itself isn't actually concerned with answering the questions asked in paragraph 2 as much as seeing if Steele can convincingly answer them. So the passage is actually about evaluating Steele's theory as opposed to directly answering those questions themselves. This is why (B) is a much better answer than (C).

Bread--The biggest problem with (D) is that its scope is way off. The passage isn't concerned with Lamarckian theory per se, but rather with one specific scientist's attempts to apply it to his research. So it's important to note that the passage is primarily about Steele and his ideas, rather than Lamarck and Lamarckian theory. (B) accurately describes this focus, making it correct.

Hope this helps!