**ASSERTION (A):** Growth cannot be considered the defining feature of life. **REASON (R):** Non-living crystals also grow by accumulation of material on their surface.

**ASSERTION (A):** Systematics is broader in scope than taxonomy. **REASON (R):** Systematics includes taxonomy plus the study of evolutionary relationships (phylogenetics).

**ASSERTION (A):** Mules are living organisms. **REASON (R):** Mules can reproduce to produce fertile offspring.

**ASSERTION (A):** In print, scientific names are italicized. **REASON (R):** Italicization in print mimics the separate underlining of each word when handwritten.

**ASSERTION (A):** Metabolism is the defining feature of living organisms. **REASON (R):** Metabolism is the only property found in ALL living organisms and absent in ALL non-living entities.