Adi and Emeril were discussing articles they had read online. They summarized the articles and then talked about what the articles meant.

Question

Adi read an article entitled, "The Wonderful World of Synthetic Chemistry." Emeril read an article entitled, "The Dangerous World of Synthetic Chemistry."

Read the portions of the articles (below) that Adi and Emeril had read. Then answer the questions.

The Wonderful World of Synthetic Chemistry
Synthetic chemistry involves producing new substances from existing raw materials. Often, the raw materials come from petroleum products like oil and natural gas, which have to be removed from deep underground. Then those molecules are used as starting materials to form new, useful molecules for things like plastics and medicines. Synthetic chemicals can be applied to clothing and household goods to make them resistant to burning. Synthetic clothing can be produced inexpensively and in a wide variety of styles. Plastic containers are lightweight and easy to transport.
The Dangerous World of Synthetic Chemistry
Synthetic materials are produced when raw materials undergo chemical reactions. Synthetic chemistry involves drilling for oil or liquid petroleum to use as raw materials. This process can lead to environmental pollution and risks to human health. Synthetic plastics are "forever" items, meaning it can take them hundreds or even thousands of years to break down in the environment. Recycling programs are not reliable, and single-use synthetic products are wasteful. Some synthetic chemicals are poisonous and can seep into groundwater.
Question 1

Adi and Emeril decide they want to interview the authors of the articles to see if the authors agreed on any topics.

a. The authors agreed on one point. They disagreed on the rest of the ideas. Click to show which points were believed by each author.

If both authors were likely to believe a statement, click BOTH options. If only one author was likely to believe a statement, just select that one author.



(4 points)
believed by the author of The Wonderful World of Synthetic Chemistry believed by the author of The Dangerous World of Synthetic Chemistry
Synthetic products are made from natural resources like petroleum (oil).

Synthetic products like plastic seat belt parts can help save people from death or injury.

Synthetic products damage the environment because they take a long time to decompose.

Synthetic products can make it easier and cheaper to package and ship other products.

Question 2

Answer 1

Question 1

Here are the beliefs of the authors regarding the statements provided:

1. Synthetic products are made from natural resources like petroleum (oil).

   • BOTH (This is a common point in both articles as they discuss the use of petroleum as raw material for synthetic products.)

2. Synthetic products like plastic seat belt parts can help save people from death or injury.

   • believed by the author of The Wonderful World of Synthetic Chemistry (The article focuses on beneficial uses of synthetic materials, suggesting they can enhance safety, even if not mentioned directly.)
   • not believed by the author of The Dangerous World of Synthetic Chemistry (The article doesn't focus on the safety benefits of synthetic materials.)

3. Synthetic products damage the environment because they take a long time to decompose.

   • believed by the author of The Dangerous World of Synthetic Chemistry (It explicitly mentions that synthetic plastics take hundreds or thousands of years to break down.)
   • not believed by the author of The Wonderful World of Synthetic Chemistry (This point is not covered in the article.)

4. Synthetic products can make it easier and cheaper to package and ship other products.

   • believed by the author of The Wonderful World of Synthetic Chemistry (The article talks about how plastic containers are lightweight and easy to transport.)
   • not believed by the author of The Dangerous World of Synthetic Chemistry (This point is not mentioned in the article.)

Summary of Answers:

• Synthetic products are made from natural resources like petroleum (oil). - BOTH
• Synthetic products like plastic seat belt parts can help save people from death or injury. - believed by the author of The Wonderful World of Synthetic Chemistry
• Synthetic products damage the environment because they take a long time to decompose. - believed by the author of The Dangerous World of Synthetic Chemistry
• Synthetic products can make it easier and cheaper to package and ship other products. - believed by the author of The Wonderful World of Synthetic Chemistry

Question 2 (You may want to specify a question related to further discussions or evaluations of the articles.)