Question 1

The book examines the roles of race, class, gender, and ethics in medical research.

The main idea of the passage is conveyed through the examination of Henrietta Lacks's life and the broader implications of her contributions to medical research, particularly regarding race, class, and ethics.

A) The book, an immediate bestseller, examines the roles of race, class, gender, and ethics in medical research and considers the implications, both positive and negative, of Henrietta Lacks's remarkable but inadvertent role in some of the most significant medical advances of the twentieth century.

This option accurately captures the essence of the passage, highlighting the central themes of race, class, gender, and ethics in medical research as they relate to Henrietta Lacks's contributions. It encapsulates both the significance of her story and the complex issues surrounding her legacy.

B) While there is no doubt that the Lacks family was first dismissed and later exploited, this bioethical debate is far from settled.

Although this sentence addresses an important aspect of the story, focusing on the exploitation of the Lacks family and ongoing bioethical debates, it does not encompass the broader themes of race, class, and gender in medical research that are central to the main idea of the passage.

C) Sadly, cervical cancer is a particularly pernicious disease, and Henrietta succumbed in October 1951 after a brief but terribly painful struggle, leaving behind her young children.

This option provides specific details about Henrietta Lacks's illness and personal struggles but does not reflect the overarching themes of the passage regarding her impact on medical research or the ethical considerations involved.

D) The production and sale of HeLa cells became a multi-million-dollar industry.

While this statement discusses the commercial aspect of HeLa cells, it is a narrower focus and does not capture the broader implications of race, class, and ethics in medical research that define the main idea of the passage.

Conclusion

Option A is definitively the correct choice as it encapsulates the main themes of the passage, addressing the multifaceted issues surrounding Henrietta Lacks's contributions to medical research. The other options, while relevant to specific elements of her story, fail to convey the comprehensive examination of race, class, and ethics that the passage emphasizes. Thus, they do not fully represent the main idea.