ACT Science: Conflicting Viewpoints 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In an ACT Conflicting Viewpoints passage, two scientists disagree about the origin of the Moon. What is the BEST first step to answer a comparison question?
- Identify the central claim of each viewpoint (Correct answer)
- Skip directly to the answer choices
- Memorize every number in the passage
- Assume both scientists agree on the conclusion
Correct answer: Identify the central claim of each viewpoint
Pinpointing each scientist's main claim makes it easy to compare and contrast their positions.
Question 2: Scientist 1 says a comet caused mass extinction; Scientist 2 says volcanic activity did. A question asks what they would AGREE on. What should you look for?
- A shared fact both viewpoints accept (Correct answer)
- The strongest insult to the other side
- Only Scientist 1's evidence
- The author's personal opinion
Correct answer: A shared fact both viewpoints accept
Agreement questions test the common ground or shared data both viewpoints accept despite differing conclusions.
Question 3: A Conflicting Viewpoints question asks which new evidence would WEAKEN Scientist 2's hypothesis. The best answer is one that:
- Contradicts a key assumption Scientist 2 relies on (Correct answer)
- Supports Scientist 2's prediction
- Is irrelevant to either viewpoint
- Restates Scientist 2's claim
Correct answer: Contradicts a key assumption Scientist 2 relies on
Evidence weakens a hypothesis when it conflicts with one of that hypothesis's necessary assumptions or predictions.
Question 4: If both scientists use the SAME data set but reach different conclusions, this most likely means they differ in their:
- Interpretation of the data (Correct answer)
- Access to the data
- Spelling of technical terms
- Reading speed
Correct answer: Interpretation of the data
Identical data with opposing conclusions points to differing interpretations or assumptions, not differing data.
Question 5: Scientist 1 predicts temperature will rise; Scientist 2 predicts it will stay constant. An experiment shows a sharp rise. This result:
- Supports Scientist 1 and challenges Scientist 2 (Correct answer)
- Supports both equally
- Supports Scientist 2 only
- Is consistent with neither
Correct answer: Supports Scientist 1 and challenges Scientist 2
A sharp rise matches Scientist 1's prediction while contradicting Scientist 2's claim of no change.
Question 6: On Conflicting Viewpoints questions, the word 'assumption' refers to:
- Something taken to be true without direct proof in the passage (Correct answer)
- A measured value
- A graph axis label
- The final conclusion
Correct answer: Something taken to be true without direct proof in the passage
An assumption is an unstated or stated belief a viewpoint depends on but does not prove within the passage.
Question 7: A question asks how Scientist 2 would respond to a fact cited only by Scientist 1. The best approach is to:
- Apply Scientist 2's reasoning to that new fact (Correct answer)
- Quote Scientist 1's response instead
- Choose the longest answer
- Ignore Scientist 2's framework
Correct answer: Apply Scientist 2's reasoning to that new fact
Predicting a response requires extending the chosen scientist's logic and assumptions to the new information.
ACT Science: Conflicting Viewpoints 2
In an ACT Conflicting Viewpoints passage, two scientists disagree about the origin of the Moon.
What is the BEST first step to answer a comparison question?