Unit 2: Science of Life

Which excerpt from “Why Science Matters” uses sarcasm as a rhetorical device?

• There is growing cynicism toward science . . .

• Even worse, technology advances so fast that it is virtually impossible for most of us to keep up . . .

• And all this thanks to “science!”

• And a new dimension opens more paths towards self-fulfillment.

What is the author’s purpose for writing the article?

• to report on the “generational divide” science creates between old and young people

• to explain how science helps people gain a deeper understanding of the world

• to persuade readers to view science’s “failures” as a result of human expectations

• to criticize people who believe in prophecies rather than in scientific facts

How does the author use rhetorical devices to achieve his purpose?

• The author uses expert opinions to challenge critics’ claims.

• The author uses sarcasm to add humor and to persuade readers.

• The author uses comparison to add historical detail to his claims.

• The author uses rhetorical questions to eliminate confusion.

Read the excerpt from the article.

The blame for the darker uses of science must be shared by all of us: Are we to blame the inventor of gunpowder for all the deaths from gunshots and explosives?

Why does the author ask this rhetorical question?

• to make a sarcastic point

• to create an objective tone

• to engage readers in debate

• to lead readers to a specific conclusion

A central idea of the selection is that science

• offers eternal salvation and the “possibility of a life free” from illogical fears.

• dictates what people should do with the “accumulated knowledge” of their society.

• must be made accessible to all so that society can “dictate its own destiny.”

• must be enforced by laws that will “change the inequities of a technological society.”

The author defends science against the criticism that it has “betrayed” people’s hopes by arguing that the purpose of science is

• to help people understand the natural world.

• to enforce scientists’ moral beliefs.

• to persuade people to share resources fairly.

• to take the blame for war and destruction.

Read the sentences.

Many people think science will solve all the world’s problems. Some people, on the other hand, doubt that science can solve difficult problems.

How does the underlined phrase help you understand the meaning of the sentence?

• It signals a cause-and-effect relationship.

• It signals a similar meaning.

• It signals an opposite meaning.

• It signals a problem-and-solution relationship.

Read the sentence.

In “Why Science Matters,” the author offers an apology, ____ defense, of science.

Which word belongs in the sentence to signal that “defense” is another word for “apology”?

• and

• nor

• or

• therefore

Which sentence uses a transition that indicates a time relationship?

• In this case, science can be viewed through people’s previous expectations.

• Furthermore, science helps people understand how the world came to be.

• At last, we are left to consider how scientific advancements have affected us.

• Certainly, science has shaped how people think about the natural world.

A teacher is leading students through a science experiment. Which transitions can the teacher use to make the sequence of steps in the experiment clear?

• similarly, likewise, also

• in contrast, however, still

• next, then, finally

• for example, additionally, too