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Difficulty: MediumWriter's Purpose, Tone, Mood, and Attitude

Read the passage below carefully.

The recent enthusiasm surrounding the deployment of bio-engineered micro-algae to absorb industrial carbon emissions is, at best, a naive panacea. While proponents boast of laboratory efficiency rates exceeding eighty percent, these controlled triumphs ignore the volatile realities of open aquatic ecosystems. Introducing synthetic strains on a commercial scale without exhaustive, long-term impact assessments borders on reckless optimism. Far from offering a seamless remedy for climate change, such hasty techno-fixes merely distract policymakers from the imperative, albeit uncomfortable, work of reducing fossil fuel consumption at its source.

What is the writer's primary attitude toward the commercial deployment of bio-engineered micro-algae?

  1. Critical and cautious regarding its premature adoptionAnswer
  2. B
    Alarmed by the emotional distress experienced by environmental researchers
  3. C
    Enthusiastic about laboratory success rates exceeding eighty percent
  4. D
    Indifferent toward technological solutions for carbon reduction

Answer

The writer is critical and cautious regarding the premature commercial deployment of bio-engineered micro-algae.
The correct answer accurately captures the writer's disapproval of rushed commercial implementation. Phrasing like 'naive panacea', 'reckless optimism', and 'hasty techno-fixes' explicitly demonstrates a critical perspective, while the insistence on 'exhaustive, long-term impact assessments' underlines a cautious approach.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the passage for emotive and evaluative word choices.
Identified negative judgment phrases such as 'naive panacea', 'reckless optimism', and 'hasty techno-fixes'.
Word choice reveals the author's underlying stance toward the topic.
2
Differentiate the author's argument from cited counter-arguments or supporting details.
The 80% laboratory success rate is presented as what 'proponents boast of', not the author's endorsement.
Distinguishing between third-party claims and authorial voice avoids misattributing enthusiasm.
3
Synthesize the main argument into an overarching attitude descriptor.
The author calls for long-term impact assessments and focus on root causes, demonstrating a critical and cautious perspective.
Matching the evidence directly to the correct attitude choice confirms the correct answer.

Key Concept

Identifying Writer's Tone and Attitude in Critical Commentary
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Topics

Writer's Purpose, Tone, Mood, and Attitude

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