Question

read the claim.
animal testing is unnecessary in this century and should be banned.

read the counterclaim.
animal testing has led to important medical breakthroughs.

which is the best rebuttal to address the counterclaim?

• with modern technology, scientists can make advances without involving the one hundred million animals now used each year for animal testing.
• with over one hundred years of successful animal testing, it is obvious that the scientific community must go on using animals to continue to be successful.
• while it is true that there have been successes in the past with animal testing, that is not necessarily an indicator of what will happen in the future.
• while animals have been used for testing throughout history, this does not mean that people should just keep doing that because they are used to it.

Explanation:

Analyze the claim and counterclaim

Using the Claim and Counterclaim knowledge point

• Claim: Animal testing is unnecessary in this century and should be banned.
• Counterclaim: Animal testing has led to important medical breakthroughs.

Evaluate the rebuttal options

Using the Writing Rebuttals knowledge point

• Option 1: "With modern technology, scientists can make advances without involving the one hundred million animals now used each year for animal testing."
• This directly addresses the counterclaim's premise (that testing is needed for breakthroughs) by showing that modern technology provides alternative pathways to achieve those same advances, thereby supporting the original claim that testing is unnecessary today.
• Option 2: "With over one hundred years of successful animal testing, it is obvious that the scientific community must go on using animals to continue to be successful."
• This supports the counterclaim rather than rebutting it.
• Option 3: "While it is true that there have been successes in the past with animal testing, that is not necessarily an indicator of what will happen in the future."
• This is weak because it merely speculates about future uncertainty without explaining why testing is unnecessary now.
• Option 4: "While animals have been used for testing throughout history, this does not mean that people should just keep doing that because they are used to it."
• This dismisses the practice as mere habit, failing to address the core issue of "medical breakthroughs" raised in the counterclaim.

Answer:

• (A) With modern technology, scientists can make advances without involving the one hundred million animals now used each year for animal testing. (Correct answer)
• (B) With over one hundred years of successful animal testing, it is obvious that the scientific community must go on using animals to continue to be successful.
• (C) While it is true that there have been successes in the past with animal testing, that is not necessarily an indicator of what will happen in the future.
• (D) While animals have been used for testing throughout history, this does not mean that people should just keep doing that because they are used to it.