Final answer:
Reducing the amount of oxygen or catechol will decrease the rate of an enzymatic reaction involving these substances, due to fewer interactions between reactant molecules. So the correct options are A and B.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the enzyme reaction mentioned, reducing the amount of oxygen or the amount of catechol will decrease the rate of the reaction. As oxygen and catechol are both reactants in this enzymatic reaction, their lower concentration will lead to fewer effective interactions between the molecules, slowing down the reaction rate. On the other hand, increasing the amount of catechol oxidase (the enzyme) will typically increase the reaction rate, while increasing the amount of benzoquinone (the product) may have a negative feedback effect but is not primarily used to decrease the rate. Therefore, options A (Reducing the amount of oxygen) and B (Reducing the amount of catechol) are correct. Option C (Increasing the amount of catechol oxidase) would increase the rate, and option D (Increasing the amount of benzoquinone) can have a more complicated effect, potentially leading to product inhibition but is not the primary choice for decreasing the reaction rate in this context.