Analyzing Author’s Point of View Quiz

Nuclear energy and weapons leave behind near-permanent extreme hazards to humans and the environment that can last hundreds of thousands of years. Scientists at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in Northern California yielded an energy burst through a unique nuclear fusion method. The scientists shot light beams from 192 of the largest lasers in the world at a miniscule hydrogen pellet. This produced over 10 quadrillion watts of power in 100 trillionths of a second. That amounts to 1.3 megajoules—10% of the total energy the sun emits onto the earth each second. The reaction gave off 70% of the energy the pellet absorbed from the lasers. The NIF scientists’ goal is a break-even ignition point, so that the pellet emits 100+% of the lasers’ energy. While impressive, the positive impacts of these nuclear fusion tests are unclear.

Which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with?

The nuclear fusion tests were interesting, but more certainty needs to be attained regarding their potential benefits.

Humans last landed on the moon in 1972. NASA formerly planned to send astronauts to the moon again by 2024. Confirming the doubts voiced by NASA’s acting administrator as well as independent experts, the mission will not be possible within that timeline. There are several reasons, one of which is the delay in developing appropriate space suits. NASA has been working on the new spacesuits for 14 years, spending $420 million on development. An estimate from the inspector general predicts the spacesuits will be ready in April 2025 at the earliest with $625 million more in costs. The report also cites a lack of funding, technical challenges, and COVID-related disruptions. The inspector general reported delays in progress on the new Space Launch System rocket. 

Which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with?

NASA’s plans to send more astronauts to the moon by 2024 have been met with various challenges.

Researchers have silenced schizophrenia- and autism-linked genes in the mouse thalamus. The thalamus is the large mass of grey matter in the brain that acts as a hub to transport information to other brain regions. When these genes were suppressed, the mice’s thalamus neurons became more excitable, causing memory problems to surface. The University of Texas at Austin’s assistant professor of neurology and pediatrics Audrey Brumback noted, “It’s exciting to see how different genetic changes can converge onto the same circuits in the brain and even onto the same physiological mechanism.” Lead investigator Guoping Feng says that for “every phenotype or symptom… there’s a particular circuit responsible.” Matching symptoms and behaviors to their respective brain regions could lead to groundbreaking targeted autism and schizophrenia treatments with fewer side effects.

Which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with?

Revolutionary treatments for schizophrenia and autism are possible with a more thorough understanding of brain circuits and symptoms

Traditionally, type 2 diabetes control methods have involved drugs that manage risk factors including high cholesterol, blood sugar, and cholesterol. These drugs fail to treat the underlying causes of type 2 diabetes. The disease stems from issues with the ability of the hormone insulin to control blood sugar effectively. Controlling blood sugar levels with drugs is a treatment, not a cure. Research increasingly demonstrates that surgery and dieting to lose weight helps to resolve some underlying causes of type 2 diabetes. Weight loss helps the body control blood sugar on its own and can be a step towards type 2 diabetes remission. Specific diets like low-carbohydrate regimens have promising results in accomplishing remission. Low-carbohydrate diets lead to remission in one in five people, while meal-replacement diets achieve remission in about one in three people.

Which of the following statements best describes the point of view of the author?

When it comes to stable long-term results, drugs are typically poor choices for treating type 2 diabetes.

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a culmination of extremely large-scale ocean currents present in the top 1,000 meters of the Atlantic Ocean. Warmer water high in salt content travels northwards through a system of currents. Once the warm, salty water reaches high latitudes in the subpolar region of the North Atlantic, the water cools rapidly. Cooling makes the water denser, so it sinks down below 1,000 meters and flows south again. This giant system transports heat from the tropics and subtropics north towards Greenland, Iceland, Canada, and the U.K. The AMOC modulates weather and climate to keep the regions around it habitable. Climate models predict that the AMOC’s cycles may start slowing over the coming decades, leading to increasingly extreme weather and further disrupting climate in both warm and cool regions.

Which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with?

The cycles of the AMOC are important to understand and can have a major effect on climates.

Paleontologists have found what they call a “one in a million” fossil. Splitting rocks to find perfect fossils is painstaking. But one 310-million-year-old horseshoe crab fossil broke by chance to reveal impressions of its central nervous system. Brains consist of such delicate soft tissues and they are extraordinarily hard to preserve, even through fossilization. Soft tissues are incredibly rare to find in fossils because soft tissues decompose so quickly, especially the delicate fatty structures of the brain. To date, only about 20 fossilized arthropod neural tissue samples have been identified. The ancient arthropod’s fossilized brain bears striking resemblance to that of present-day horseshoe crabs. The impression holds valuable clues about the species’ evolution.  

Which of the following statements best describes the point of view of the author?

The impressive discovery of soft tissue in the horseshoe crab fossil provides a new, important background on the species.

Chronic kidney disease affects 850 million people and causes 1 in every 60 deaths globally. In 2018, total Medicare spending for kidney failure patients reached $36.6 billion. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and a substantial heritable factor contribute to developing chronic kidney disease. UPenn’s Perelman School of Medicine researchers conducted one of the most comprehensive studies of the human genome in search of genetic variations associated with kidney disease. The scientists found 182 genes that influence kidney function and 88 genes related to hypertension. Drugs already exist to target many of the 182 probable kidney function genes. The team also mapped cell types and mechanisms that play a role in chronic kidney disease. The gene mapping and cell typing provide major milestone insights into mechanisms behind treating kidney failure using ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors and ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers).

Which of the following statements best describes the point of view of the author?

Revolutionary treatments for kidney failure could be possible thanks to gene mapping and research of the human genome.

Sexual dimorphism is the tendency for two sexes within the same species to exhibit distinct characteristics unrelated to reproduction. This can be observed in most animals and also some plants. In nature, sexual dimorphism is nearly universal, but it is strange how the sexes’ shared genomes within a species lead to divergent evolution between males and females. A recent study linked the evolution of separate characteristics in males and females to a Y chromosome (male) genetic variance. Researchers examined the evolution of body size dimorphism in male and female seed beetles over 10 generations. They discovered that isolating the Y chromosome-linked genetic variance could change the seed beetles’ dimorphism by 30%.

Which of the following statements would the author most likely agree with?

Dissimilar evolution patterns between males and females in the same species are an unexpected occurrence in nature.

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are central in helping the body control inflammation and autoimmunity. Scientists have been attempting to create stable induced Tregs (iTregs) to treat autoimmune diseases and transplanted organ rejection. Dr. Xiaojing Yue, La Jolla Institute for Immunology researcher, explains how the study he authored found that “vitamin C can be used to stabilize iTregs generated in vitro.” These findings reinforce the evidence that vitamin C enhances TET proteins’ enzymatic activity in generating stable iTregs in the lab. Before developing autoimmune therapies, scientists analyzed epigenetic features of iTregs. TET proteins and vitamin C both help fortify iTregs with gene expression that mirrors the body’s natural Tregs. The work of Dr. Yue’s team may revolutionize treatments for autoimmune diseases and improve organ transplant outcomes.

Which of the following best describes the author’s point of view about Dr. Yue’s findings?

They have the potential to positively affect the ways in which autoimmune diseases are dealt with

The prefrontal cortex helps mediate cognition and emotion. Studies have indicated abnormal activity and structure in the prefrontal cortex of people with depression and anxiety. Research from the University of Hong Kong explores associations between depression and stress and young adult prefrontal brain activity. Forty college students underwent neurocognitive tests while researchers measured prefrontal brain tissue oxygenation changes. There appeared to be a relationship between self-reported negative mood and lower frontal lobe functioning during the cognitive task. Specifically, greater symptoms of stress and depression are linked with reduced activation of the lateral prefrontal cortex during a working memory task. This does not demonstrate a causal relationship. The activity of the prefrontal cortex could be either a cause or a result of negative emotional states.

Which of the following statements best describes the point of view of the author?

It is very likely that the prefrontal cortex is linked with depression or symptoms of negative emotional behavior.

Astronomers had an exciting chance to observe an asteroid. Asteroid 2016 AJ193 hurtled past the earth the weekend of August 21st, 2021. At 1.37 kilometers (0.85 miles) across, the asteroid is bigger than 99% of all known objects near Earth. AJ193 made its closest approach for several decades, missing Earth by 3.4 million kilometers (2.1 million miles). That’s roughly 9 times the distance to the moon. Scientists using the Pan-STARRS telescope discovered AJ193 in 2016 from the Haleakala Observatory in Hawaii. The task of measuring and tracking the asteroid was tricky because its surface is so dark and hard to see. Asteroid AJ193 orbits the sun every 5.9 years. AJ193’s wide orbit goes as far as Venus’s orbit in one direction and, at the other end, it goes way past the orbit of Jupiter. 

Which of the following statements best describes the point of view of the author?

An asteroid observation is a phenomenal experience that takes patience and diligence.

In their tiny 1.5-6-centimeter bodies, there’s enough poison to kill 10 men. Impressive poison dart frogs are the most poisonous animals on the planet. There is a difference between venom and poison. Venomous snake bites inject venom into the bloodstream. Poisonous animals are toxic to eat or lick. Embera tribe hunters in the Colombian rainforest use dart frogs’ poison to coat their darts. Shooting just one of these blowdarts at a monkey, bird, or any other small animal is enough to take one down. Locals extract poison from the dart frogs using wood pokers to make them sweat poison. The process makes white froth collect on the frogs’ backs. The deadly substance is batrachotoxin—just a tiny amount causes paralysis and death. Incredibly, arrows dipped in the liquid remain toxic for an entire year.

Which of the following best describes the author’s point of view about dart frogs?

It is quite astonishing that such a small creature can have such a deadly effect.

Mindfulness and meditation practices have become trendy pop-psychology topics. Lots of people rave about mental health and well-being benefits, and the research backs them up. But there’s something new about this study including 2,238 people. For those 60 and older, mindfulness had a small positive impact on mental processing. It’s important because older adults are known to have worsening mental functions. Specifically, mindfulness slightly helped older adults with their working memory. But the mindfulness benefits were comparable to other exercises like relaxation or brain training. So the results might just be accounted for by social interactions or people’s expectation of treatment benefits (placebo effect). More study would be needed to rule that out.

Which of the following best describes the author’s point of view about mindfulness and meditation?

They may be beneficial techniques, especially for older adults, but more research is needed to say this with certainty.

Smallpox was brutal. Epidemiologist René Najera described body aches, “high fever, sore throat, headaches, and difficulty breathing.” Repulsive full-body rashes and pus-filled bumps appeared from head to toe. Pustules formed on feet, scalp, lungs, and throat, drying out and falling off. The death rate was one in three for adults and eight in ten for babies. Survivors were left blind and disfigured with scars. Early African and Asian inoculation practices eventually caught on. They figured out that if you scratched a little bit of smallpox pus into a healthy person’s skin, a mild case leading to immunity could ensue. In the 1700s, English farmer Benjamin Jesty discovered that inoculating his family with pus from less severe cowpox protected them from smallpox. Years later, Dr. Edward Jenner’s similar, world-changing experiment led to an actual smallpox vaccine—the first vaccine ever.

Which of the following best describes the author’s point of view about smallpox?

It became manageable due to inoculation techniques and the first vaccine.

AI is quickly advancing, but it still can’t mimic human brains quite right. One thing AI tends to struggle with is common sense. Most people know what common sense is, even though it’s hard to define. Common sense is an innate human ability that enhances people’s judgment, helping us think outside the box, manage expectations, and reason about the emotions of others. Common sense is also responsible for humans’ natural, rudimentary, or vague understanding of physics without having to solve equations. AI’s trouble recreating common sense makes it hard to implement AI for solving certain complicated real-world problems like medical diagnoses. AI behind chatbots needs help to hold convincing, human-like conversations. That’s where a special, advanced type of deep learning AI called transformerscomes in.

What is the author’s general opinion regarding transformers?

They could potentially solve issues related to AI’s shortcomings.

American kids have increasingly concerning diets. Two-thirds of young people’s calories now come from ultra-processed foods. It’s an alarming sign that people are making more food choices for convenience’s sake and overlooking health. In 1999, processed foods took up 61% of calories. By 2018, that number rose to 67% based on surveys of 33,795 children and teens from 2-19. Ready-to-eat and ready-to-heat foods like frozen pizza, takeout, and burgers accounted for the biggest junk food takeover, from 2.2 to 11.2% of calories. Sweets and snacks went from 10.6% of calories to 12.9%. Junk food is eating into calories from less-processed food, which dropped from 28.8% to 23.5%. Fortunately, one junk food became less of a staple: sugary drinks.

What is the author’s general opinion regarding the ways in which people decide what to eat?

Unfortunately, ready-to-eat foods put positive lifestyle choices at risk because they are easier to fulfill.

Something climatologists call a “climate warning signal” is happening in Greenland. Big chunks of Greenland’s ice sheet normally melt in the summer, mostly in mid-July. The problem is that ice sheet loss has been outweighing total snowfall for decades now. From 2002 to 2016, Greenland lost 280 gigatons of ice. And in August 2021, the Greenland Summit got rare rainfall. The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) experts reported a weather flow pattern that moved warm, humid air in from the South. For 9 hours, while the air temperature was above freezing, rain fell on the highest point of the Greenland Ice Sheet, a 10,551 ft. elevation. That’s the first rainfall recorded at the location since the 1980s when observations began. Climatologists are sounding the alarm about this worrying sign of climate change.

What is the author’s general opinion regarding ice sheet loss?

It is a clear indication that climate change is dangerous for certain regions.

Most people fondly recall their younger years. In youth, it seemed we could eat almost anything without gaining weight. Adulthood and aging appear to make it frustrating to reach and maintain the ideal weight. That pesky metabolic change is real, but its peak and decline happen at different ages than most of us think. Pennington Biomedical Research Center tracked 6,600 people and how many calories they burned. They included people from 29 countries spanning from one week old to 95 years old. Researchers found that the peak of metabolic rates occurs in babies when rapid growth takes place. From there, the metabolism slows down 3% per year up to a person’s 20s. Metabolisms then level out between one’s 20s and 50s. After that, metabolisms don’t really decline until past 60, only decreasing gradually—just 0.7% per year.

What is the author’s general opinion regarding metabolic change?

Its highest and lowest points occur at points that may be surprising to some.

 Ample sleep is undoubtedly important for health. But can napping or extra hours of sleep really make a difference? Maybe, maybe not. Study participants with poor quality, disrupted nighttime sleep benefitted from an afternoon nap rather than an extra hour overnight. Adding a half-hour to people’s sleep each night didn’t lead to any apparent health benefits. With sleeping, it’s more about quality than quantity. Poor sleep quality can even increase dementia risk. So insomnia and sleep apnea really need attention. More data is needed concerning psychological factors like stress and factors specific to populations in developing countries and with low incomes.

What is the author’s general opinion regarding sleep quality?

It can be more important than the amount of sleep one gets.

Every year, galaxies and the stars and planets inside them disappear from our sight. These bodies fly beyond the observable universe, eventually getting too distant from Earth for anyone to see them. The unobservable universe is anything far enough from the earth that its light still hasn’t had enough time to reach us (so we can’t see it). The observable universe has a radius of at least 46 billion light-years. But observations and 20th-century calculations say that the universe is always expanding at ever-increasing speeds. Making earth ever more lonely, the farthest galaxies appear to rush away faster and faster—even faster than light itself. Disconcertingly, even if we somehow left earth now at the speed of light, we’d only be able to catch up to and reach 3% of all the galaxies in the observable universe. 

Which of the following best describes the author’s point of view about faraway galaxies?

It can be unsettling when realizing just how fast they can travel.