The science of classifying and naming things is called __________.

A.
classification

B.
fossilization

C.
taxonomy

D.
extinction

C. taxonomy

The correct answer is C. taxonomy.

Taxonomy is the science of classifying and naming living organisms. It involves organizing and categorizing organisms into different groups based on their shared characteristics. The purpose of taxonomy is to establish a standardized system that allows scientists to identify and study organisms more effectively.

To arrive at this answer, you can break down the question and eliminate the options that don't fit. Some clues in the question are the words "classifying" and "naming." This suggests that the answer should be related to organizing and categorizing things. By process of elimination, we can discard options A, B, and D, as they don't match these criteria. This leaves us with C, taxonomy, which fits the description and is therefore the correct answer.