RC Question 12 Explanation
QUESTION TEXT: The passage provides the strongest support for…
DISCUSSION: Unusually, I found it a little difficult to directly support the correct answer here. But the wrong answers either contradict the passage, or weren’t mentioned.
Whereas the right answer is heavily implied based on at least two possible excerpts.
___________
- The author only mentioned policy makers on line 13, and they didn’t say what policy makers think of patents. We only know they’re scrutinizing the issue.
- The author disagrees with this. On lines 47-51 they said that biotech companies are unlikely to sue basic researchers, because companies sue only when their market position is under threat. This implies that companies don’t find basic research threatening.
- Nonsense. The author never said whether this is true. It’s possible that many scientists have patentable work, but still oppose patents because they’re worried about whether they can use materials from other labs.
- CORRECT. There are a few lines that support this. First, lines 37-40 say that before patents, researchers were still able to control access to their material. Secondly, lines 23-30 say that companies can decide to only make their material available through a licensing
agreement. That’s a way to control access that doesn’t involve a lawsuit. - Ridiculous. The passage never even mentioned teaching.
You reference lines 37-40 for support for answer (D), but (D) specifically is talking about patent HOLDERS. Those lines are talking about pre-patent days.
This is a good point. (D) is also talking specifically about legal control of patented materials, and it’s unclear whether lines 37-40 are actually referring to legal means. Lines 23-30 provide the best evidence for why (D) is correct.
The explanation and analysis section will address your comment in the near future.
In lines 17-19 it says “These restrictions are seen as arising either from enforcement of a patent or through operation of a contractual agreement.”
Do you mean this provides more support for (D)? Possibly. The only issue is we could also read patent enforcement and the operation of a contractual agreement as the means through which patent holders sue for infringement.
The reasons given in the explanation provide stronger support.