Final answer:
The true statement about the discovery of cells is that scientists required new technology, like microscopes, to observe and identify cells. Robert Hooke was the first to describe cells, while Anton van Leeuwenhoek's lens-making skills significantly advanced microscope technology.
Step-by-step explanation:
To answer the student's question regarding the discovery of cells, the correct statement is (C) Scientists needed to develop new technology to be able to see and identify cells. The development of microscopes was crucial in discovering cells. Robert Hooke, using a microscope, was the first to identify and name cells after observing the cell walls in cork. Another scientist, Anton van Leeuwenhoek, furthered the field of microscopy by crafting powerful lenses, allowing him to observe human cells and bacteria. These advances were essential for the progression of cell biology. The other statements provided have inaccuracies: (A) is not true as both Hooke and Van Leeuwenhoek, among others, made their own microscopes; (B) is incorrect because lenses had been used in various forms before microscopes were developed; and (D) is untrue since there was no prior knowledge of cells before the invention of the microscope enabled their discovery.