Free SAT Practice Question

Question 1 of 1
ID: DSAT-RW-26
Section: Digital SAT Reading & Writing (RW) - Broadly Reading - Information and Ideas
Topic: Central Ideas and Details
Difficulty level: Hard

Practice Mode: Single selected Question » Back to Overview

Science historian Naomi Oreskes has argued that scientific consensus can serve as a reliable guide for public policy, especially in domains like climate science. In her widely cited work, she emphasizes that while individual scientists can be wrong, consensus emerges through rigorous peer review, reproducibility of results, and debate within the scientific community. Oreskes warns against false equivalence in public discourse, where minority dissenting views are given equal weight to consensus positions, leading to confusion among policymakers and the public. Her research has been particularly influential in countering claims that climate science is "too uncertain" to inform environmental regulation.

Which choice best describes the main idea of the text?

AOreskes has written about the importance of distinguishing between individual disagreement and community consensus in scientific research, especially when addressing global challenges like climate change.

BOreskes is concerned that public debates often elevate minority scientific views, which can undermine the role of consensus in guiding effective and evidence-based policymaking.

COreskes argues that peer review and reproducibility are flawed methods for scientific agreement, though they continue to dominate how policy is formed.

DOreskes's work reveals how scientific uncertainty can lead to scientific progress, even when public confusion over research slows down policy responses.

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