Question

Read this excerpt from "A Drop in the Bucket."

In one of the Smithsonian’s curation rooms, she carefully places "Diane France's brain" on a table and props it up around the edges with clay. But the clay doesn't stick to the table, and the brain loses its shape. That's no good.

Next, she tries putting the brain in a pan and smooshes clay around the inside edge of the container. Still no good.

Finally, after more trial and error, Diane grabs a stainless steel bowl—just like the one in her kitchen—and presses clay in a ring around the curved bottom. She adds a layer of formalin-soaked paper towels to keep the bottom of the brain damp. Then, she carefully nestles the brain in the ring. It works! The brain holds its shape as she coats the top with a liquid form of silicone rubber. The rubber hardens to make one-half of a mold.
Which detail from the excerpt identifies a problem?
A. “But the clay doesn’t stick to the table, and the brain loses its shape.”
B. “Next, she tries putting the brain in a pan and smooshes clay around the inside edge.”
C. “She adds a layer of formalin-soaked paper towels to keep the bottom of the brain damp.”
D. “Finally, after more trial and error, Diane grabs a stainless steel bowl.”

Answer 1

The answer is likely a) "But the clay doesn't stick to the table, and the brain loses shape"

Step-by-step explanation:

She expected the clay to stick to the table, but it did not, creating a problem for her.

Answer 2

A. “But the clay doesn’t stick to the table, and the brain loses its shape.”

Step-by-step explanation:

The problem that arises in the given passage is best identified by the following line:

• But the clay doesn’t stick to the table, and the brain loses its shape.

We can see a scientist named Diane France trying to make a mold of what seems to be her brain. However, she is having trouble. The clay that she wants to use to help her make a mold doesn't stick to the table. That is the problem she is dealing with.

The rest of the options tell us about what she does next in order to succeed in her project. They are steps that lead to the solution, not the problem.

This is why option A is the correct one.