Science: Conflicting Viewpoints Flashcards
7 cards from real ACT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Science: Conflicting Viewpoints flashcards as text
A passage debates whether a star is young or old based on brightness. A question asks what extra information would help DECIDE between the views. The best choice:
Answer: Data that one view predicts and the other does not
Deciding evidence must distinguish the views by matching one prediction while contradicting the other.
Scientist 1 argues a chemical reaction needs heat; Scientist 2 argues it needs light. An experiment with heat but no light shows the reaction occurring. This:
Answer: Supports Scientist 1's view
The reaction proceeding with heat alone matches Scientist 1's claim and undercuts Scientist 2's.
On the ACT, the Conflicting Viewpoints passage typically differs from other Science passages because it:
Answer: Emphasizes reading and comparing arguments over reading graphs
Conflicting Viewpoints is the most reading-heavy format, focusing on understanding and comparing written arguments.
If a question asks what Scientist 2 must ASSUME for their argument to hold, the correct answer is:
Answer: A premise their conclusion depends on
A required assumption is an unstated premise the argument needs in order to reach its conclusion.
Two geologists agree a canyon exists but disagree on its age. A graph showing sediment deposition rates would most help by:
Answer: Providing a basis to estimate the canyon's age
Deposition rate data lets you estimate formation time, directly addressing the age disagreement.
When answering a Conflicting Viewpoints question, choosing an answer that adds outside information not supported by the passage is:
Answer: Usually incorrect because answers must be passage-based
ACT Science answers must be grounded in the passage, so unsupported outside claims are typically wrong.
A question asks which viewpoint better explains an anomaly the other ignores. The stronger viewpoint is the one that:
Answer: Accounts for the anomaly within its framework
A viewpoint that explains an otherwise unexplained anomaly has greater explanatory power for that question.