The Line Between Life and Not-Life (Listening)

1) What does the speaker mainly discuss?

A) The factors that determine if something is living.
B) A theory about the origin of life on Earth.
C) Experiments that demonstrate features of life.
D) The misconception that chemicals can be considered living.


2) Which of the following is true of protocells?

A) They function quite differently from normal cells.
B) They can be made in many different ways.
C) They do not possess a body.
D) They are more complex than normal cells.


3) At 7:15 in the lecture the speaker says, "Now, this doesn't have a brain, it doesn't have a neural system. This is just a sack of chemicals that is able to have this interesting and complex lifelike behavior."

Why does the speaker say, "Now, this doesn't have a brain"?

A) He wants to emphasize the simplicity of the experiment.
B) He believes that his audience might think his protocells are alive.
C) He thinks that protocells are unintelligent creatures.
D) He is illustrating that the protocells are a simple form of life.


4) Why does the speaker think his experiments are interesting? (Choose 2 Answers)

A) They may help us recognize unusual forms of life in the Universe.
B) They produced the first form of laboratory life.
C) They can help explain certain aspects of human behavior.
D) He believes that they can teach us about the origin of life.


5) Why did the speaker want to avoid sterile lab conditions for his final set of experiments?

A) He wanted a more realistic setting for his protocells.
B) The chemicals he used in his earlier work were too volatile.
C) Dirty environments are better at promoting cellular life.
D) He had limited success under sterile conditions.


6) According to the speaker, which of the following is likely true of all living things? (Mark Yes/No beside each choice)

A) An ability to utilize energy from the environment.
B) Possession of DNA.
C) Static chemical bonds.
D) Some form of mobility.
E) Primarily liquid.