While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:Widespread antibiotic resistance poses a significant threat to modern medicine.In...
GMAT Expression of Ideas : (Expression) Questions
While researching a topic, a student has taken the following notes:
- Widespread antibiotic resistance poses a significant threat to modern medicine.
- In 2019, researchers at Johns Hopkins developed a new class of antibiotics called teixobactin.
- Laboratory tests showed teixobactin could kill drug-resistant bacteria without harming healthy cells.
- Traditional antibiotics often fail because bacteria develop resistance mechanisms over time.
- Teixobactin works by targeting the bacterial cell wall in a way that makes resistance extremely difficult.
- Clinical trials suggest this approach could address the growing crisis of untreatable infections.
The student wants to explain how teixobactin addresses the antibiotic resistance problem. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
In 2019, researchers at Johns Hopkins developed teixobactin, a new class of antibiotics that underwent clinical trials to test effectiveness against infections.
While traditional antibiotics lose effectiveness as bacteria develop resistance, teixobactin targets bacterial cell walls in a way that makes developing resistance extremely difficult.
Widespread antibiotic resistance poses a significant threat to modern medicine, but laboratory tests showed teixobactin could kill drug-resistant bacteria.
According to clinical trials, teixobactin represents a promising approach to addressing untreatable infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Widespread antibiotic resistance poses a significant threat to modern medicine." |
|
| "In 2019, researchers at Johns Hopkins developed a new class of antibiotics called teixobactin." |
|
| "Laboratory tests showed teixobactin could kill drug-resistant bacteria without harming healthy cells." |
|
| "Traditional antibiotics often fail because bacteria develop resistance mechanisms over time." |
|
| "Teixobactin works by targeting the bacterial cell wall in a way that makes resistance extremely difficult." |
|
| "Clinical trials suggest this approach could address the growing crisis of untreatable infections." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Teixobactin represents a promising new antibiotic that could solve the resistance crisis by targeting bacterial cell walls in a way that makes developing resistance extremely difficult.
Argument Flow: The notes establish antibiotic resistance as a major medical threat, then introduce teixobactin as a 2019 development from Johns Hopkins. They provide evidence of its effectiveness in lab tests, explain why traditional antibiotics fail (bacteria develop resistance), contrast this with teixobactin's unique mechanism that makes resistance extremely difficult, and conclude with clinical trial evidence suggesting it could address the broader crisis.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The student wants to explain how teixobactin addresses the antibiotic resistance problem - not just that it works, but HOW it solves the resistance issue.
What type of answer do we need? An explanation that shows the mechanism or approach that makes teixobactin effective against resistance, ideally contrasting it with traditional antibiotics.
Any limiting keywords? "Most effectively" means we need the choice that best accomplishes the goal, and "uses relevant information from the notes" means we need to draw from the provided research.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The correct answer must explain HOW teixobactin addresses the resistance problem, not just that it does
- From our analysis, we know that traditional antibiotics fail because bacteria develop resistance mechanisms over time, while teixobactin targets bacterial cell walls in a way that makes resistance extremely difficult
- The right answer should make this contrast clear - showing both why traditional antibiotics fail and how teixobactin's approach is different
In 2019, researchers at Johns Hopkins developed teixobactin, a new class of antibiotics that underwent clinical trials to test effectiveness against infections.
- Mentions development, new class of antibiotics, and clinical trials but doesn't explain HOW teixobactin addresses resistance - just states facts about its development
- Misses the core mechanism that makes it different from traditional antibiotics
While traditional antibiotics lose effectiveness as bacteria develop resistance, teixobactin targets bacterial cell walls in a way that makes developing resistance extremely difficult.
- Creates perfect contrast: "While traditional antibiotics lose effectiveness as bacteria develop resistance" and explains the key mechanism: "teixobactin targets bacterial cell walls in a way that makes developing resistance extremely difficult"
- Directly addresses the "how" question by showing what makes teixobactin different
Widespread antibiotic resistance poses a significant threat to modern medicine, but laboratory tests showed teixobactin could kill drug-resistant bacteria.
- Mentions the problem and that teixobactin can kill resistant bacteria but doesn't explain the mechanism of HOW it addresses resistance
- Students might think mentioning both the problem and effectiveness is sufficient, but the question asks specifically for an explanation of how it addresses resistance
According to clinical trials, teixobactin represents a promising approach to addressing untreatable infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria.
- Focuses on clinical trials and promising approach but doesn't explain the mechanism that makes teixobactin different
- Too general - could apply to any promising new treatment