Question

How would the author of Passage 2 most likely respond to the claim made in lines ("Because Earth... abiogenesis") of Passage 1?

• A. Life probably developed in a nebula elsewhere before arriving on Earth.
• B. Scientists do not know exactly what the early Earths atmosphere was like.
• C. The chemical precursors of life can form in a wide variety of environments.
• D. Modern organisms would not have been able to survive on the Hadean Earth.

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

The chemical precursors of life can form in a wide variety of environments.

The author of passage 1 says that studying the unique chemical environment of early Earth can allow us to develop a deeper understanding of the causes of abiogenesis. The author of Passage 2 says that the building blocks of life or the organic chemical compounds like amino acids and simple sugars and are present in nebulae and star systems all over the universe, and not just in the Earth. He negates the first author's claim about the uniqueness of Earth's environment for germination of life.

As it's mentioned in lines from passage 2:

"Taken together, this evidence suggests that the building blocks of life appear throughout the Milky Way galaxy and elsewhere in the universe. Earths status as the cradle of life may not be so special after all."

The chemical precursors of life can, thus, form in a wide variety of environments 'throughout Milky Way and elsewhere in the universe'.

Hence, Option C is correct.

The rest of the options do not respond (from the point of view of the second author) to the claim made in the first passage. Hence they're incorrect.