Gene splicing can give rise

Answer choices

1. A

   Too Strong: all2% picked this

   All toxin production is genetically

   We can infer that at least some toxin production is genetically controlled, because we're told that some genes can affect production of toxins. But we can't leap to the extreme claim that all toxin production is genetically controlled.

   2%
2. B

   Correct85% picked this

   Gene splicing to produce new varieties of farm animals should be

   Why this is right

   This is a safely worded answer that captures the mixed bag of causation we were told about gene splicing. We can use gene splicing to produce new varieties of farm animals, and the new genes may give the farm animal the desired trait we had in mind, but it also might introduce some hard to detect changes that result in more toxins and carcinogens.

   Skill tested: Most Supported · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

   85%
3. C

   Too Strong: not effective5% picked this

   Gene splicing is not effective as a way of producing new varieties

   This is a stronger version of (B). We definitely can infer that there is some potential concern with gene splicing (it can introduce hard-to-detect changes to toxin or carcinogen production). But we only know that it can do that. We don't know if it frequently does that. It's too strong and sweeping to call gene splicing an "ineffective way to produce new varieties of farm animals".

   5%
4. D

   Too Strong: most2% picked this

   Most new varieties of farm animals produced by gene splicing will

   This is also a too-strong version of the caution that (B) speaks to. We know that gene splicing can lead to hard-to-detect changes in an organism's production of carcinogens. But that doesn't mean we can say that more than 50% of gene spliced farm animals will get cancer.

   2%
5. E

   Too Strong: no longer a problem6% picked this

   Gene splicing will advance to the point where unforeseen consequences are no

   We have no support for this optimism, that someday gene splicing will not have potentially problematic unforeseen consequences.

   6%