<p>Science proceeds in fits and starts. Scientists put forward results, both theoretical and experimental. The results are then debated by the community, sometimes they are discarded, sometimes they are modified, and sometimes they provide inspiration for new and more accurate ways of understanding the universe. In other words, science proceeds along a zigzag path toward what we hope will be ultimate truth, a path that began with humanity's earliest attempt to fathom the cosmos and whose end we cannot predict. Whether string theory is an incidental rest stop, a landmark turning point, or the final destination we do not know</p>
<ol>
<li><p>In line 32, "fits" most nearly means:
a) violen attacks
b) unprovoked tantrums
c) emotional reactions
d) unexpected whims
e) sudden bursts</p></li>
<li><p>The characterization of the "path" suggests that science:
a) results from purely chance of events
b) is driven by an unforseen and mysterious purpose
c) progreses in an orderly manner
d) is inaccessible to those without proper training
e) advances in indirect and sometimes unexpected ways</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Please help me find evidence for the 2 questions. Thank you.</p>
<p>Wow these are tough lol. I am no CR expert (710 is my best), but I will give these a shot. </p>
<p>17 is hard, but I’d narrow it down to D and E, then go with D.
I honestly don’t have a good explanation for this other than that it makes the most sense to me (I know that’s a terrible answer lol). I could be wrong, but here’s how I think of it. Starting with P.O.E., A, B, and C just make no sense; therefore, we are left with D and E. D and E are so similar that I find this to be a poor question lol but welcome to the SAT. Unexpected whims just makes more sense to me because I feel like that is more closely related to science and the results that are discussed – they are putting forward results that are only coming about because of the unexpected things (whims) that occur. Wow I’m sorry for how horrible my explanation is and I am probably wrong lol, but hopefully this has some coherence to it. </p>
<p>18, also difficult, but I’d say E just because I can’t find anything incorrect about it. My strategy is to identify what’s incorrect about each answer, rather than just trying to figure out which seems the most right. We know science advances in unexpected ways because of “whose end we cannot predict” and the last sentence shows that even if we are directly trying to get the string theory to explain A, it may explain B, C or D, hence it is indirect. This is honestly just my reasoning lol it may be completely wrong and make no sense to you, but perhaps I’m on to something.</p>
<p>I’m very curious to know the answers to these if you have them lol. Won’t be surprised if I’m dead wrong haha. (I am notorious for guessing incorrectly once I narrow it down to 2). Sorry if this just rattled your brain even more haha, I tried!</p>
<ol>
<li><p>E
“fits and starts” is an idiom (related to “fitful” or “fitfully,” I expect) that means haltingly or sporadically. The clue is the zigzag mentioned a few lines down, by which science proceeds, stops, gets derailed, proceeds some more, etc. It cannot be D because “whims” are actions with no meaningful causes or reasons, but the explanation of science progress, though not at all consistent or continuous, is highly systematic and meaningful.</p></li>
<li><p>E
“Zigzag” and “path we cannot predict” are the clues here. This is easier than #17.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Both these answers and explanations are definitive. I hope this helps!</p>
<p>I thank you for your concern, marvin, sami and cakebetter. the answer given by CB is 17E and 18E, but the evidence seems vague so I started this thread. I expected it to be elsewhere but never thought zigzag, the one being questioned, would also be the answer. and the use of idiom…</p>
<p>by the way this paragraph is from may 2010 test, so you can google if you need more test.</p>