Natural Selection Kills 38 Quadrillion Organisms...

How does the author of the article frame, or characterize, natural selection?

• The author characterizes natural selection as a mindless, violent animal.

• The author personifies natural selection as a malicious killer, putting the evolutionary process in perspective by framing it with premeditated intent instead of natural biology and victims instead of prey.

• The author exaggerates the process of natural selection, framing it in such a way to argue against the “survival of the fittest” mentality.

• The author personifies natural selection as a malicious killer, suggesting that humanity, which is a link in the food chain, is as guilty as the evolutionary practice. The author personifies natural selection as a malicious killer, suggesting that humanity, which is a link in the food chain, is as guilty as the evolutionary practice.

What impact does the author’s diction—words like “massacred” (paragraph 3) and “slaughter” (paragraph 4)—have on the passage’s tone?

• This word choice contrasts the passage’s satiric nature, as there is nothing funny about tragedy, and thus they stand out of the article’s witty, humorous tone.

• This word choice adds to the passage’s direct, objective tone, which leaves no room for softer phrases.

• This word choice adds to the inflammatory tone, contributing to the passage’s account of sensationalized violence in nature.

• This word choice adds to the passage’s horrified tone, conjuring similar accounts of human casualties and juxtaposing them to natural selection, thus contributing to the satire of the article. This word choice adds to the passage’s horrified tone, conjuring similar accounts of human casualties and juxtaposing them to natural selection, thus contributing to the satire of the article.

Which of the following statements best describes a central idea of the text?

• Nature is both intentionally and innately cruel, and this violence is cyclical.

• Subjectivity has no place in science, for it skews perspective and hinders scientific progress.

• Natural selection is the process by which certain organisms survive and others do not; though it is not purposefully cruel, it is a powerful force.

• Survival of the fittest is antithetical to human nature and can only be found in the wild. Survival of the fittest is antithetical to human nature and can only be found in the wild.