In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. Read the passage carefully and select the correct answer for the given blank out of the four alternatives. The Nobel Prize for Chemistry this year is a tribute to the power of (1) _______The laureates harnessed evolution and used it in the (2) ______with amazing results. Frances H. Arnold, an American was given one-half of the prize, used 'directed evolution' to (3) _______variants of naturally occurring enzymes that could be used to (4)______biofuels and pharmaceuticals. The other half went to George P.Smith, also of the U.S., and Sir Gregory P. Winter, from the U.K., who evolved antibodies to (5) ______ autoimmune diseases and even metastatic cancer through a process called phage display.
Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank No.(1)
evolution
The question asks us to select the most appropriate word to fill in blank No. (1) in the given passage about the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Let's examine the passage and the context around blank (1).
Understanding the Passage and Blank (1)
The passage discusses the Nobel Prize for Chemistry awarded for harnessing the power of a certain process. The sentence is: "The Nobel Prize for Chemistry this year is a tribute to the power of (1) _______". The very next sentence clarifies how the laureates achieved their results: "The laureates harnessed evolution and used it in the (2) ______with amazing results." This immediately tells us what process they harnessed and what the prize is a tribute to.
Analyzing the Options
We need to choose the word that best fits the context, based on the surrounding text and the description of the laureates' work.
Let's look at the options provided for blank (1):
- involution
- devolution
- revolution
- evolution
Evaluating Each Option
- Involution: This term generally refers to a decrease in size or complexity, or a turning inward. For example, uterine involution after pregnancy. This does not fit the context of harnessing a powerful process for scientific breakthroughs.
- Devolution: This refers to the transfer of power or authority from a central body to lower levels, like in politics. It has no relevance to the scientific work described.
- Revolution: This means a fundamental and often forceful change in power or organizational structures, or a dramatic change in ideas or practices. While the scientific achievements might be 'revolutionary', the passage explicitly states the laureates 'harnessed evolution'. The prize is a tribute to the *power of the process* they used, not the outcome itself being a revolution, although the outcome is significant.
- Evolution: This is the process of gradual change and development of organisms over generations, often through natural selection. The passage directly mentions "harnessed evolution" and "directed evolution" as the methods used by the laureates to create useful enzymes and antibodies. This fits perfectly with the description of their work.
Determining the Correct Word
Based on the fact that the passage explicitly states that the laureates "harnessed evolution" and used "directed evolution" to achieve their results, it is clear that the Nobel Prize is a tribute to the power of this very process. The word that fits blank (1) and aligns with the subsequent sentences is "evolution".
Therefore, the complete sentence should read: "The Nobel Prize for Chemistry this year is a tribute to the power of evolution."
This makes sense because the scientists used principles of evolution, specifically directing the evolutionary process in a laboratory setting (directed evolution), to develop new enzymes and antibodies with desired properties for applications in medicine and industry.
| Option | Meaning | Fit with Blank (1)? | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|---|
| involution | Shrinkage; regression | No | Irrelevant to the scientific context. |
| devolution | Transfer of power | No | Irrelevant to the scientific context. |
| revolution | Dramatic change; overthrow | Less likely | Focus is on the harnessed process, not the outcome being a 'revolution'. Passage states they harnessed 'evolution'. |
| evolution | Process of gradual development/change | Yes | Directly supported by the mention of "harnessed evolution" and "directed evolution" in the following sentences. |
Conclusion on Blank (1)
The most appropriate word to fill in blank (1) is "evolution", as the subsequent sentences explicitly state that the Nobel laureates harnessed this process. The prize honors the successful application of evolutionary principles to create useful biological molecules.
The correct option is 4, "evolution".
Revision Table: Key Terms Analysis
| Term from Passage | Significance |
|---|---|
| Nobel Prize for Chemistry | Indicates recognition for a significant scientific achievement in chemistry. |
| Harnessed evolution | Means they took control of or used the natural process of evolution for their purposes. |
| Directed evolution | A laboratory method used to evolve proteins or nucleic acids towards a user-defined goal. This is a key concept in the laureates' work. |
| Enzymes | Proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions. Arnold's work focused on evolving these. |
| Antibodies | Proteins used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects. Smith and Winter's work focused on evolving these. |
| Phage display | A technique used to study protein-protein, protein-peptide, and protein-DNA interactions, also used by Smith and Winter to evolve antibodies. |
Additional Information: Directed Evolution
Directed evolution is a powerful technique used in molecular biology and protein engineering. Unlike natural evolution, which happens over vast timescales, directed evolution is carried out in a laboratory setting. The goal is typically to engineer enzymes or proteins with new or improved functions.
The process generally involves:
- Creating a diverse library of genetic variants (mutations) of a starting gene.
- Expressing these variants to produce a library of variant proteins.
- Screening or selecting the protein variants that show the desired improved function.
- Using the genes of the best-performing variants as templates for subsequent rounds of mutation and selection/screening.
This iterative process allows scientists to 'direct' the evolution of molecules much faster and towards specific goals than natural evolution.
Frances Arnold pioneered the use of directed evolution to create enzymes with improved properties for applications like producing biofuels and pharmaceuticals, often under conditions not found in nature. George Smith and Gregory Winter applied similar evolutionary principles, particularly using phage display, to evolve antibodies for therapeutic purposes, such as treating autoimmune diseases and cancer.
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