Characteristics of life:

The list in the book gives us the fundamental properties of life, in which two of
the characteristics taken in class are not listed: the body form and its definite size
and shape and the DNA program of life. Both are not listed in the book perhaps
because they are not necessary in order to assure the survival of a living thing.
Nevertheless, both lists regroup the essential properties or characteristics for
survival. If one of them is missing on a living thing (except for the body form and
the DNA program of life), it would probably die in a short period or would not
even exist.

Viruses:
One of the characteristics of living things is that we have a lifecycle, in which
reproduction is one of the different phases. Viruses do reproduce, but they cannot
do so on their own, as explains the textbook. This is the reason why it is not
considered to be alive.

Biodiversity and Evolution:

Life has existed maybe as long as Earth has existed. From a bacterium, it evolved
into animals, plants, etc. and is now what we are and see today. Despite the fact
that Earth has changed a lot throughout time (separation of the tectonic plates,
ice age, holes in ozone ), life still exists, perhaps, due to the fact that most of
the living things have been capable of adapting to the different situations which
they had to face. In other words, we (as in all the living things) evolved in order
to survive to the different transformations which have occurred.