Topic 7: Inference

107 Questions

DIRECTIONS

Must Know Tips:

• Learn causation/correlation logic.

• Learn classification logic.

• Remember that the correct answer is a logical conclusion based on the passage.

• Pay attention to every single character, place, object, and date.

• Don’t read the question prompt (it’s static).

Recommended time per question in this section: min: 1 min, max: 1 min 45 sec, avg: 1 min
22.5 sec. (*Exam level)

The Study on Global Ageing and Adult 1

Health (SAGE) seeks to discover long-term
Which choice most logically completes the text?
trends related to aging by compiling and an-
alyzing evidence from approximately 66,000 A) such studies are likely to be a lower
participants in multiple countries. As with priority for funding than SAGE.
most longitudinal studies, extensive funding
support is needed for SAGE to collect the B) the sociology study is unlikely to be able
relevant data over timescales and at inter- to recruit 66,000 participants.
vals that will support robust conclusions.
C) expanding the scope of such studies is
But the quality of a more constrained inves-
unlikely to be feasible.
tigation, such as a sociology study seeking
only to yield the average age at which peo- D) such studies are not trying to identify
ple in a given city first become parents, is trends over time.
much less dependent on high levels of fund-
ing because

255
Anne Bronte’s 1847 novel Agnes Grey con- 2
tains elements drawn from Bronte’s own
Which choice most logically completes the text?
life: there are many parallels between the
experiences of the novel’s tide character and A) Agnes Grey is less of an imaginative
those of Bronte, and as a result Agnes Grey achievement than it actually is.
is regularly described as an autobiographical
novel. This characterization can be useful, B) the real-world counterparts of other
but it also presents drawbacks in terms of characters in Agnes Grey are hard to
how the work is perceived, as it may lead identify.
readers to believe that Bronte merely fic-
C) Bronte should not have claimed that
tionalized true events, which, in an artistic
Agnes Grey is based on real events.
field where creativity and inventiveness are
prized, can suggest that D) critics disagree about whether Agnes Grey
shows greater originality than works
without autobiographical elements.

Previous research has shown that plant 3

species with a narrow geographical range
Which choice most logically completes the text?
tend to be more genetically homogeneous
than plant species with extensive ranges A) several other Mammillaria species could
are. Based on these findings, researchers survive in Tamaulipas in the future.
recently ran simulations to predict how the
genetic variation of several species of Mam- B) the genetic homogeneity of M. klissingiana
millaria, a genus of cactus found throughout decreased over time.
the Americas, might change in di!erent dis-
C) there was a gradual increase in the genetic
tribution conditions. One of these species,
homogeneity of Mammillaria species in
M. klissingiana, is found only in the state
states neighboring Tamaulipas.
of Tamaulipas. The researchers simulated
what would happen if M. klissingiana spread D) Mammillaria species other than M.
to new habitats outside Tamaulipas, and, klissingiana would become more common
consistent with previous findings, the results in Tamaulipas.
showed that

To better understand people living with 4

PTSD, laboratory experiments conducted
Which choice most logically completes the text?
on mice determined that the brain stores
remote fear memories from the past per- A) To more e!ective treatment of individuals
manently. Due to the connections between su!ering from PTSD and other
memory neurons in the prefrontal cortex, fear–related disorders.
the brain can hold onto distressing expe-
riences from a few months to decades ago. B) To a better understanding of what causes
These results are expected to contribute PTSD in the mice that were studied.
C) To the realization that there is a
connection between memory neurons in
the prefrontal cortex.
D) To additional studies conducted on mice
and other lab animals to gain further
insights.

256
In order to identify research trends, Shirley 5
Ann Williams et al. reviewed a collection
Which choice most logically completes the text?
of studies of the social media website Twit-
ter, such as the 2021 paper by Celik et al. A) a group of researchers had an extensive
titiled “Learning Semantic Relationships discussion on Twitter about the design of
between Entities in Twitter.’ Williams’s tractor engines.
team searched for the term “Twitter” on
the Scopus and Web of Science databases B) most of the papers in the Scopus and Web
and found that, though most papers re- of Science databases do not discuss
turned by the search did in fact focus on automotive engines or social media
the social media platform, a few discussed websites.
unrelated subjects such as sounds made by
C) the word “Twitter’ may not always refer to
tractor engines. one reasonable explanation
a social media website, but to other
for this result is that it occurred because
subjects such as noises made by machines.
D) academics who are active on social
networks are likely to announce their
recent publications on Twitter.

In a 2012 study in the United States. 6

Michael E. Berndt and Travis K. Bavin
Which choice most logically completes the text?
found a positive association between levels
of dissolved organic carbon and mercury in A) the mercury levels reported in oh and
bodies of fresh water. Many other studies colleagues study were much higher than
have yielded similar results, suggesting to those reported in the study by Berndt and
some scientists that this association is true Bavin even though the dissolved organic
for all bodies of fresh water. But much of carton levels reported in the two studies
that research has been conducted at broadly were approximately she same.
similar sites in North America, and when
Seam oh and colleagues examined bodies B) Berndt and Bavin may have inadvertently
of fresh water in South Korea, they found measured a di!erent characteristic of
a negative association between dissolved bodies of fresh water than their levels of
organic carbon levels and mercury levels. If dissolved organic carbon and mercury.
similar findings emerge from other locations
C) the relationship between dissolved organic
outside North America, that could suggest
carbon and mercury reported by Berndt
That
and Bavin reflects conditions that are
characteristic of certain kinds of
ecosystems in North America rather than
universal conditions.
D) most of the studies conducted in North
America have measured dissolved organic
carbon and mercury levels at a higher level
of precision than was the case in Noh and
colleagues study.

257
The British Bronze Age began when so- 7
phisticated techniques for making tools,
Which choice most logically completes the text?
weapons, and other objects from metal were
introduced to the British Isles around 2500 A) some hoards contained no gold, as was the
BCE, and it lasted until around 700 BCE. case for the Parc-y-Meirch hoard.
In Britain during this time, collections of
valuable metal objects (called hoards) were B) most Bronze Age gold objects were melted
sometimes buried for safekeeping. Some down so that the gold could be reused.
stayed buried for many centuries, such as
C) the skills needed to make tools and
the Parc-y-Meirch hoard, which was un-
weapons from bronze were to adapt to
earthed around 1868, and the Fittleworth
making decorative items from gold.
hoard, discovered in 1995. And although
the period is known as the Bronze Age, D) some hoards were found as a result of
some hoards, like the Fittleworth hoard, artifacts being dug up by accident.
contained decorative objects made of gold;
gold was much rarer than bronze, however,
and thus it is not surprising that

The state of North Dakota has designated 8

the spiny water flea as an invasive species
Which choice most logically completes the text?
that could outcompete some of the state’s
native species. Many other states draw A) It’s useful at present for North Dakota to
similar distinctions between invasive and distinguish between invasive and native
native species. But researchers Alejan- species in some instances but not in the
dro Camacho and Jason McLachlan have case of the spiny water flea.
pointed out that Earth’s climate is changing
in ways that challenge such designations. B) North Dakota was previously home to
Climate changes may cause animals to some spiny water flea but they were
leave their current ranges and establish new outcompeted by invasive species.
ones. Climate changes may also create good
C) state such as North Dakota may need to
habitats in areas where a species couldn’t
reevaluate their classifications of species.
live previously. These observations suggest
that D) North Dakota should coordinate with
other states to protect their native species
from invasive species.

258
In June of 1987, South Korean liberalized 9
its stock market, meaning that it began al-
Which choice most logically completes the text?
lowing foreign individuals and businesses to
invest money in South Korean companies. A) investment growth is likely to be more
This was part of a wave of stock markets consistent in countries that liberalize than
liberalization from the mid-1980s through in countries that do not.
the mid-1990s-Brazil in 1988, Venezuela
in 1900, and so on. In an analysis of eco- B) it typically takes at least three years for
nomic data from 1976 to 1993, Ross Levine companies to benefit from government
and Sara Zervos found that liberalization policies allowing foreign investment, but
did not lead to enduring increases in in- governments rarely maintain such policies
vestment in companies based in countries for that long.
that liberalized. Peter Blair Henry, how-
C) economist’s expectations about the e!ect
ever, found that, on average, investment in
of liberalization on investment were largely
companies in liberalized countries increased
correct.
significantly in the three years following
liberation. Taken together, these results D) companies based in countries that begin
suggest that allowing foreign investment will probably
see short term increases in investment, but
that their gains are unlikely to last.

The Bronze Age in Britain lasted from 10

around 2500 BCE to approximately 700
Which choice most logically completes the text?
BCE. Collections of metal items (called
hoards) from all periods of the Bronze Age A) both the Llanarmon-yn-Iâl hoard and the
have been found in Britain, including the Horsehope Craig hoard, only the latter
Llanarmon-yn-Iål hoard of artifacts from included evidence of more refined sword
the 16th century BCE, unearthed around production.
1982, and the much later Horsehope Craig
hoard of artifacts from the 7th century B) hoards discovered before 1865, no such
BCE, unearthed around 1865. Sometime evidence was found in hoards that were
in the Middle Bronze Age (approximately discovered later.
from the 14th century BCE to the 10th
C) the Llanarmon-yn-Iâl hoard, no intact
century BCE), metalsmiths in Britain began
swords were found among the items in the
to develop swords for the first time. This
hoard.
fact helps explain why, whereas evidence of
sword production was found in D) the Horsehope Craig hoard, no such
evidence was found in the
Llanarmon-yn-Iâl hoard.

259
In a 2017 study that took place in Sweden, 11
Andrea G. Bravo and colleagues found a
Which choice most logically completes the text?
negative association between levels of dis-
solved organic carbon and mercury in bod- A) Bravo and colleagues study may have
ies of fresh water. It may seem reasonable inadvertently measured a di!erent
to be skeptical of this finding, since most characteristic of bodies of fresh water than
other studies, such as research conducted their levels of dissolved organic carbon and
in 2014 in Canada by Claire J. Oswald and mercury.
Brian A. Branfireun, have found that dis-
solved organic carbon and mercury levels B) few of the studies conducted in North
rise together. Like the latter study, how- America have been able to measure
ever, most studies of the topic have been dissolved organic carbon and mercury
conducted in North America, and many of levels with the same level of precision as in
those study sites have similar characteristics Bravo and colleagues’ study.
to one another, suggesting that
C) the mercury levels reported in Bravo and
colleagues study were much higher than
those reported in the study by Oswald and
Branfireun even though the dissolved
organic carbon levels reported in the two
studies were approximately the same.
D) Bravo and colleagues finding may di!er
from the findings of other studies due to a
di!erence in environmental circumstances
that a!ects the relationship between
dissolved organic carbon and mercury in
fresh water.

South Africa has classified the Gaboon viper 12

as an invasive species that could outcompete
Which choice most logically completes the text?
some of the country’s native species. Many
other countries draw similar distinctions A) South Africa should coordinate with other
between invasive and native species. But countries to protect their native species
researchers Alejandro Camacho and Jason from invasive species.
McLachlan have pointed out that Earth’s
climate is changing in ways that challenge B) it’s useful at present for South Africa to
such classifications. Climate changes may distinguish between invasive and native
cause animals to leave their current ranges species in some instances but not in the
and establish new ones. Climate changes case of the Gaboon viper.
may also create good habitats in areas
C) distinctions among species that countries
where a species couldn’t live previously.
such as South Africa have made may not
These observations suggest that
fit well with changing circumstances.
D) South Africa was previously home to some
Gaboon vipers but they were outcompeted
by invading species.

260
The Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) exam- 13
ines trends in childhood development among
Which choice most logically completes the text?
19,000 people in the United Kingdom un-
folding over many years. As is true of most A) 19,000 people is more than enough for
longitudinal studies, this need for years of MCS to find trends in childhood
data collection results in high costs. By development.
contrast, a relatively straightforward fitness
study, such as one that is merely trying to B) longitudinal methods are probably suitable
identify the percentage of regular exercisers for the fitness study.
in a city who do weight training, may not
C) the fitness study can be done well without
need a large budget because
years of data collection.
D) it would be easy for MCS researchers to
add questions to their childhood
development study.

The small white heron and the little blue 14

heron are long legged birds that live in
Which choice most logically completes the text?
wetlands. like the Everglades in Florida.
Laura D’Acunto and colleagues wanted to A) attract little blue herons to the area than
know how these birds choose an area in they are to attract small white herons to
which to live. They looked at features of the area.
these birds’ habitats, such as how quickly
water drains from the area and the amount B) extend the average lifespan of small white
of tree-canopy cover there is in the area. herons already in the area than they are to
They found that small white herons prefer attract a greater number of those birds to
areas with extensive canopy cover, but this the area.
was not true for little blue herons. The re-
C) decrease the area’s appeal to both small
searchers therefore concluded that wetland-
white herons and little blue herons than
management strategies that increase the
they are to increase the appeal to other
amount of tree canopy in potential wetland
species.
bird habitats are less likely to
D) attract birds that don’t typically live in
wetlands to the area than they are to
attract small white herons or little blue
herons to the area.

Architects looking for inspiration may 15

examine photographs of iconic buildings
Which choice most logically completes the text?
such as the Leaning Tower in Pisa. A two-
dimensional photograph, however, cannot A) conceals the subtle deterioration of the
capture how a building interacts with its building’s materials.
surroundings, whether by complementing,
blending in with, or perhaps even clashing B) serves to exaggerate the building’s
with sights and activities nearby. An image historical importance.
of the Leaning Tower thus
C) misrepresents how the building is perceived
by people who have never visited Pisa.
D) fails to convey the full impact of the
building’s design and structure.

261
The Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) seeks to 16
discover long-term trends related to child-
Which choice most logically completes the text?
hood development by compiling and ana-
lyzing evidence from approximately 12,000 A) such studies are not trying to identify
participants in Germany. As with most lon- trends over time.
gitudinal studies, extensive funding support
is needed for SOEP to collect the relevant B) the transportation study is unlikely to be
data over timescales and at intervals that able to recruit 12,000 participants.
will support robust conclusions. But the
C) expanding the scope of such studies is
quality of a more constrained investigation,
unlikely to be feasible.
such as a transportation study seeking only
to yield the average number of people per D) such studies are likely to be a lower
day who use a city’s public transportation priority for funding than SOEP.
system, is much less dependent on high lev-
els of funding because

In a 2017 study, Nitika Sharma and Rekha 17

Dayal found that for consumers who value
Which choice most logically completes the text?
environmental conservation, their likelihood
of purchasing a product increased when A) there is not a meaningful di!erence in the
their perception of the product’s e!ective- average likelihood of purchasing
ness at addressing an environmental issue environmentally friendly products among
increased-in other words, the more environ- the demographic groups included in the
mentally friendly a product is perceived to study.
be by a consumer, the more likely that con-
sumer is to buy it. Subsequently, another B) the new food product is less appealing to
research team conducted a study of various middle-aged adults than other similar
demographic groups in Chile, investigating products on the market are.
participants’ intention to purchase a new
C) middle-aged adults might be more likely
food product, and found that, on average,
than participants in the other demographic
middle-aged adults gave the food product
groups to purchase the food product.
a higher environmental e!ectiveness rating
than any other demographic group did. D) middle-aged adults likely prioritize other
Assuming that the results of Sharma and factors over a product’s environmental
Dayal’s study are broadly applicable, this sustainability when making purchasing
finding suggests that decisions.

262
Many studies have found a positive asso- 18
ciation between levels of dissolved organic
Which choice most logically completes the text?
carbon and mercury in bodies of fresh water
in North America. But Andrea G. Bravo A) levels of dissolved organic carbon and
and colleagues did not find this correlation mercury in bodies of fresh water are both
in a study conducted in Sweden, leading much higher in Sweden than elsewhere.
some scientists to hypothesize that the as-
sociation is particular to North America. B) dissolved organic carbon and mercury
However, several other studies conducted levels do typically rise and fall together in
outside North America, such as one by fresh water.
Clara E. Moreno and colleagues in Norway,
C) there were circumstances unique to Moreno
showed similar results to the North Ameri-
and colleagues’ study that impeded
can studies, while few have produced results
accurate measurements of mercury levels.
similar to those of Bravo and colleagues’
study, suggesting that D) the hypothesis that the positive association
is particular to North America is correct

The Mammillaria cactus M. guerreronis oc- 19

curs naturally only in the state of Guerrero
Which choice most logically completes the text?
in Mexico, and the smallness of its range
makes it especially vulnerable to extinction. A) lead to a better understanding of how the
The traditional single-species approach to distribution of Mammillaria species
conservation emphasizes the need to fo- throughout Mexico has a!ected their
cus on individual species most at risk, like survival
M. guerreronis, but recently, conservation-
ists have argued that an ecosystem-based B) allow conservationists to better consider
approach that incorporates the many in- how climatic changes a!ecting Guerrero
teractions between the climate, terrain, may reduce the number of species
and various species of a given geographical competing with M. guerreronis
area may lead to better outcomes for all
C) erroneously shift the focus of conservation
the species in a given location. If this view
e!orts away from M. guerreronis itself
is correct, the single-species approach to
the conservation of M. guerreronis could D) fail to consider the ways in which the
thus survival of M. guerreronis may be
influenced by changes in the populations of
other species that inhabit Guerrero

263
The Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) is a 20
longitudinal study surveying approximately
Which choice most logically completes the text?
12,000 individuals in Germany to glean ex-
tended trends in childhood development. A) the expense of SOEP is likely greater than
To carry out the necessary sampling of the the cost of longitudinal studies of
population over many years, SOEP needs transportation
extensive financial support, but this method
provides valuable insights into causal re- B) conclusions drawn from SOEP are likely to
lationships. However, when questions of be more authoritative than those from the
causation are irrelevant, as with a trans- transportation study
portation study seeking only to reveal the
C) longitudinal methods are suitable for
number of people per day who use a city’s
studies of childhood development but
public transportation system, longitudinal
ought to be avoided for those of
methods are unnecessary, and so
transportation
D) the success of the transportation study
likely requires significantly less financial
outlay than that needed for SOEP

Arthurian legends (tales related to the char- 21

acter of King Arthur) derive from many
Which choice most logically completes the text?
sources, such as Annales Cambriae, com-
posed around 970, and the Mabinogion from A) Le Morte d’Arthur is more historically
the 12th and 13th centuries. One of the accurate than History, because the
most significant sources, Geo!rey of Mon- Mabinogion had not been written when
mouth’s History of the Kings of Britain, was Geo!rey of Monmouth was writing his
written in Latin in the 1130s; some material work
from it was later adapted by the Norman
poet Wace into the Roman de Brut in 1155. B) Geo!rey of Monmouth’s accounts of
But while no source before 1155 includes Arthurian legends in his History are more
references to the famous Round Table at similar overall in content to the accounts
which Arthur’s knights assembled, both in the Mabinogion than they are to the
the Roman de Brut and Sir Thomas Mal- accounts in Roman de Brut
ory’s 15th century compilation of Arthurian
C) Malory did not use Annales Cambriae as a
legends, Le Morte d’Arthur do. It can
source for information he presented about
therefore be inferred that
the Round Table.
D) Geo!rey of Monmouth was unaware of
stories of the Round Table when
composing his History, though historians
know that works containing such stories
were available to him.

264
Research such as the 2015 study of mam- 22
mals by Jessie Patrice Bunkley and Jesse
Which choice most logically completes the text?
Rex Barber has shown that noise from hu-
man activity, like tra”c on a busy highway, A) the e!ects of noise on birds have been less
has significant e!ects on animals, and many extensively documented than the e!ects on
governments require studies of the potential mammals have.
noise e!ects on wildlife before approving
highway construction projects. A report B) the severity of the e!ects of noise on
on one such study proposed many more di!erent species of birds can di!er
actions to mitigate the e!ects on birds in significantly.
the area than it did to mitigate the e!ects
C) the measures intended to protect birds can
on mammals in the area. Despite the lack of
sometimes have adverse e!ects on
focus on measures specifically for mammals,
mammals.
conservationists were satisfied that the pro-
posed mitigations were su”cient to protect D) the measures aimed at protecting birds
all the wildlife in the area because will likely also minimize most of the e!ects
on mammals.

Ships in the British Royal Navy during the 23

Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815) were ranked
Which choice most logically completes the text?
based on military strength. The system
considered the number of a ship’s cannons A) the Temeraire had between 850 and 875
and decks. ’First-rate’ was the highest rank- crewmen, but the Waterloo and the
ing, and ’sixth-rate’ was the lowest ranking, Caledonia each had fewer than 850
followed by unranked ships. The size of crewmen.
a ship’s crew was based on this ranking:
first-rate ships had between 850 and 875 B) the Waterloo had a smaller crew than the
crewmen, while lower-ranked ships had Caledonia.
fewer. Three of the ships in the British
C) all ships with three decks were ranked as
Royal Navy were the Waterloo (80 cannons
first-rate ships.
and two decks), the Temeraire (98 cannons
and three decks), and the Caledonia (120 D) the Caledonia needed a crew larger than
cannons and three decks). Among these, 875 people in order to operate e”ciently.
only the Caledonia was a first-rate ship. It
can therefore be concluded that

265
Indigenous songs can be repositories of eco- 24
logical information, from Yi songs about
Which choice most logically completes the text?
the natural environment to Tlingit songs
about wildlife encounters. Kwakwaka’wakw A) the Kwakwaka’wakw people encouraged
song keeper Kwaxsistalla Wathl’thla aided the health of clam gardens and reduced
research by ethnobiologist Dana Lepofsky pressure on them by periodically
et al. by contributing songs that reference increasing their reliance on other sources
creating terraced intertidal gardens to foster of sustenance.
the healthy development of clams, a staple
in the Kwakwaka’wakw people’s diet. Such B) the practical approach described in the
structures date as far back as 3,500 years Kwakwaka’wakw songs e!ectively
ago. Intriguingly, analysis of local paleoeco- maintained clams as a sustainable food
logical marine bivalve records has revealed source.
significant increases in clam size and pro-
C) the Kwakwaka’wakw people initially
ductivity as clam garden practices became
adapted their clam garden practices from
more prevalent and harvesting pressure
similar methods observed among other
increased-a finding that bolsters the notion
Indigenous peoples in neighboring areas.
that
D) contemporary Kwakwaka’wakw people
have only minimally deviated from the
clam-gardening practices described in the
people’s songs.

Saeed M.Z.A. Tarabieh conducted a study 25

of consumer attitudes toward Jordanian
Which choice most logically completes the text?
food and beverage companies and found
that for consumers who value environmental A) the new TV is more appealing to rural
conservation, their likelihood of purchasing residents than other similar products on
a product decreased when their perception the market are.
of the product’s risk of causing environ-
mental harm increased. Subsequently, other B) rural residents likely prioritize other
researchers conducted a study of various factors over a product’s environmental
demographic groups in China, investigating sustainability when making purchasing
participants’ intentions to purchase a new decisions.
television, and found that, on average, rural
C) there is not a meaningful di!erence in the
residents had the highest perception among
average likelihood of purchasing
all the demographic groups in the study of
environmentally friendly products among
the environmental risks of the TV. Assum-
the demographic groups included in the
ing that the results of Tarabieh’s study are
study.
broadly applicable, this finding suggests
that D) rural residents might be less likely than
participants in the other demographic
groups to purchase the TV.

266
Quasars-such as APM 08279+5255, located 26
in the Lynx constellation-are extremely
Which choice most logically completes the text?
luminous galactic nuclei powered by su-
permassive black holes, some of which are A) future models of the early universe may
known to have developed within the first not need to include conditions that explain
billion years of the formation of the uni- early quasars since those quasars may not
verse. Based on simulations they conducted, have actually existed at the time.
astrophysicists Daniel Whalen. Muhammad
Latif, and colleagues concluded that these B) it may be possible to develop models of the
early quasars developed partly as a result early universe that rest on more credible
of rare convergences of gases in space with- assumptions than previous models have.
out the need for ultraviolet backgrounds
C) factors that previous models of the early
or other extreme and implausible environ-
universe assumed were necessary for the
mental conditions that models of the early
formation of quasars may have actually
universe have included to account for the
been consequences of the formation of
presence of these quasars. If this conclusion
quasars.
is correct, it suggests that
D) previous models of the early universe may
have underemphasized the importance of
ultraviolet backgrounds to quasar
formation.

Nora Ephron’s 1983 novel Heartburn is reg- 27

ularly described as autobiographical. That
Which choice most logically completes the text?
characterization is apt-there are many par-
allels between the experiences of the novel’s A) overemphasizing the extent to which
narrator, Rachel Samstat, and those of Ephron took inspiration from earlier
Ephron-but it should not be taken to mean writers.
that all the people and events depicted in
Heartburn are based on actual people and B) positing unsupportable connections
events. The novel is largely pure invention, between Heartburn and Ephron’s life.
and readers who neglect this fact and in-
C) misrepresenting Heartburn as being more
stead try to identify more and more real-life
widely read than it actually is.
analogues thus risk
D) minimizing the fact that Ephron drew on
real-world material when writing
Heartburn.

267
The great blue heron and the small dark 28
heron are long-legged birds that live in wet-
Which choice most logically completes the text?
lands, like the Everglades in Florida. Laura
D’Acunto and colleagues wanted to know A) attract small dark herons to the area than
how these birds choose an area in which to they are to attract great blue herons to the
live. They looked at features of the birds’ area.
habitats, such as the geographic location of
the area and how deep the water is during B) extend the average lifespan of great blue
the birds’ breeding season. They found that herons already in the area than they are to
great blue herons prefer areas with deep wa- attract a greater number of those birds to
ter during breeding season, but that was not the area.
true for small dark herons. The researchers
C) attract birds that don’t typically live in
concluded that water management strategies
wetlands to the area than they are to
that increase the depth of water in potential
attract great blue herons or small dark
wetland bird habitats during breeding sea-
herons to the area.
son are therefore less likely to
D) decrease the area’s appeal to both great
blue herons and small dark herons than
they are to increase the appeal to both.

Evan MacLean and colleagues evaluated 29

behavioral and genetic data from over
Which choice most logically completes the text?
14,000 dogs, representing more than 100
breeds, and found that certain similarities A) their similarities with respect to that
in behavior between breeds correspond to behavior could result from a shared aspect
genetic similarities between those breeds, of their genetics.
suggesting a genetic basis for breed di!er-
ences in behavior. This was the case for B) individual French bulldogs likely display
both dog rivalry and energy but was espe- higher levels of chasing than individual
cially pronounced for chasing, which can be bullmasti!s.
seen when a dog pursues small animals like
C) French bulldogs and bullmasti!s show a
birds or squirrels. A di!erent study found
greater tendency toward chasing than
that the French bulldog and the bullmasti!
most other dog breeds do.
breeds exhibit similar chasing behavior, sug-
gesting that D) the two breeds will likely become less
genetically similar over time.

268
Buried collections of Bronze Age metal 30
items (called hoards) have been found all
Which choice most logically completes the text?
over Britain. For hoards discovered since
the 1960s, such as the 1965 discovery of the A) include gold jewelry.
Walderslade hoard, advancements like inex-
pensive metal detectors, ground-penetrating B) result from artifacts being unearthed
radar, and aerial surveys have made it much accidentally.
easier for searchers to locate hoards be-
C) include rare items from the 10th century
fore putting the first shovel in the ground.
BCE.
Hoards found before the 1960s, however,
such as the discovery of the Auchnacree D) occur before the ground was disturbed.
hoard around 1921, were not aided by such
technologies and thus were much more likely
to

The state of Wisconsin has classified the 31

walnut twig beetle as an invasive species
Which choice most logically completes the text?
that could harm some of the state’s native
species. But researchers Alejandro Cama- A) the state was previously home to some
cho and Jason McLachlan have pointed out walnut twig beetles but they were
that ’invasive’ and ’native’ are labels that outcompeted by invading species.
describe temporary circumstances. Changes
in Earth’s climate may force animals from B) it’s useful at present for the state to
their current ranges. Climate changes may distinguish between invasive and native
also create good habitats in areas where a species in some instances but not in the
species couldn’t live previously. In the case case of the walnut twig beetle.
of Wisconsin, these observations suggest
C) even if Earth’s climate doesn’t change in
that
the way scientists predict, the walnut twig
beetle will likely establish itself in the
state.
D) the state’s designation of the walnut twig
beetle as invasive may be appropriate now
but not in the future.

269
In May of 1986, the Philippines liberalized 32
its stock market, meaning that it began
Which choice most logically completes the text?
allowing foreign individuals and businesses
to invest money in Filipino companies. This A) companies in Malaysia experienced a
was part of a wave of stock market liberal- greater increase in investment following
izations around the world-Malaysia in 1987, liberalization than did companies in the
Morocco in 1988, and so on. The standard Philippines.
view among economists at the time was
that liberalization would make it easier for B) economists who held the standard view of
companies to raise money from investors. liberalization failed to anticipate some
Economist Peter Blair Henry examined the serious negative e!ects of liberalization.
economies of 11 countries that were part of
C) companies did not benefit from
the liberalization wave and found that, on
liberalization until at least three years
average, companies based in those countries
after liberalization occurred.
received significant increases in investment
in the three years following liberalization, D) empirical evidence was consistent with the
suggesting that scholarly consensus about the
consequences of liberalization.

J.G. Ballard’s 1984 novel Empire of the 33

Sun contains elements drawn from Ballard’s
Which choice most logically completes the text?
own life-there are many parallels between
the experiences of the novel’s protagonist, A) Ballard should not have claimed that
Jim Graham, and those of Ballard and as Empire of the Sun is based on real events.
a result Empire of the Sun is regularly de-
scribed as an autobiographical novel. This B) the real-world counterparts of other
characterization can be useful, but it also characters in Empire of the Sun are hard
presents drawbacks in terms of how the to identify.
work is perceived, as it may lead readers
C) Empire of the Sun is less of an imaginative
to believe that Ballard merely fictionalized
achievement than it actually is.
true events, which, in an artistic field where
creativity and inventiveness are prized, can D) critics disagree about whether Empire of
suggest that the Sun shows greater originality than
works without autobiographical elements.

270
Indigenous songs are an important re- 34
source for ecological information. Songs
Which choice most logically completes the text?
of the Warlpiri people in Yuendumu, Aus-
tralia, convey information about wild edible A) recognize that Indigenous languages likely
seeds, and the songs of the Sakha people have more unique expressions that
in Siberia, Russia, address the e!ects of represent ecological knowledge than
climate change on local ecosystems. There represent other types of information.
have been e!orts made to preserve Indige-
nous languages over the years-e.g., the B) acknowledge that Indigenous songs are
United Nations’ International Decade of largely but not entirely composed using
Indigenous Languages (2022-2032). How- phrases taken from spoken language.
ever, such attempts have typically focused
C) incorporate the preservation of songs into
on spoken language despite the fact that
their broader e!orts to protect Indigenous
some expressions in these languages appear
languages.
only in songs. Therefore, if those involved in
such e!orts want to ensure that a compre- D) None of the above
hensive range of information is secured, they
must

In a 2014 study that took place in Laos, 35

Stéphane Guédron, Delphine Tisserand,
Which choice most logically completes the text?
and colleagues found a negative association
between levels of dissolved organic carbon A) few of the studies conducted in North
and mercury in bodies of fresh water. It America have been able to measure
may seem reasonable to be skeptical of this dissolved organic carbon and mercury
finding, since most other studies, such as levels with the same level of precision as in
research conducted in 2015 in Canada by Guédron, Tisserand, and colleagues’ study.
Stéphanie Hamelin and colleagues, have
found that dissolved organic carbon and B) the mercury levels reported in Guédron,
mercury levels rise together. Like the latter Tisserand, and colleagues’ study were
study, however, most studies of the topic much higher than those reported in the
have been conducted in North America, study by Hamelin and colleagues even
and many of those study sites have similar though the dissolved organic carbon levels
characteristics to one another, suggesting reported in the two studies were
that approximately the same.
C) Guédron, Tisserand, and colleagues’ study
may have inadvertently measured a
di!erent characteristic of bodies of fresh
water than their levels of dissolved organic
carbon and mercury.
D) Guédron, Tisserand, and colleagues’
finding may di!er from the findings of
other studies due to a di!erence in
environmental circumstances that a!ects
the relationship between dissolved organic
carbon and mercury in fresh water.

271
As complex life cycle parasites, Opechona 36
sp. and Cucullanellus kanabus require
Which choice most logically completes the text?
multiple host species throughout their de-
velopment. Extrapolating from parasite A) although Opechona sp. and C. kanabus
counts on Pacific herring and seven other both require Pacific herring as a host, C.
fish species collected from Puget Sound from kanabus was more adversely a!ected by
1880 to 2019, Chelsea Wood et al. found warming- driven changes in the Pacific
that the abundance of three-host parasites, herring population than Opechona sp. was.
such as Opechona sp., negatively correlated
with rising average annual sea temperatures; B) a parasite’s sensitivity to warming
the abundance of two-host parasites, such as temperatures is negatively correlated with
C. kanabus, was largely stable. Noting that the number of unique vertebrate species it
fish and other marine vertebrates are espe- depends on throughout its life cycle.
cially vulnerable to climate change, Wood et
C) warming-induced population changes
al. observed that all three-host parasites in
among Puget Sound vertebrates may have
the study depend on at least two vertebrate
suppressed some parasite populations, but
species, while all two- host parasites depend
there were no changes among the eight
on only one, suggesting that
studied host species that a!ected two-host
parasite abundance.
D) population size and density of the eight
fish species examined in the study were
likely largely una!ected by rising sea
temperatures.

New Zealand has classified the rainbow lori- 37

keet as an invasive species that could harm
Which choice most logically completes the text?
some of the country’s native species. But
researchers Alejandro Camacho and Jason A) New Zealand was previously home to some
McLachlan have pointed out that Earth’s rainbow lorikeets but they were
climate is changing in ways that challenge outcompeted by invading species.
such classifications. Climate changes may
force animals from their current ranges. B) even if Earth’s climate doesn’t change in
Climate changes may also create good habi- the way scientists predict, the rainbow
tats in areas where a species couldn’t live lorikeet will likely establish itself in New
previously. These observations suggest that Zealand.
C) labels like the one that New Zealand has
applied to the rainbow lorikeet reflect
environmental conditions that may not
persist.
D) it’s useful at present for New Zealand to
distinguish between invasive and native
species in some instances but not in the
case of the rainbow lorikeet.

272
All stainless steel contains varying amounts 38
of iron, carbon, and corrosion- inhibiting
Which choice most logically completes the text?
chromium. However, ferritic stainless steel,
often used for induction cookers, contains A) similar magnetic properties to stainless
a higher percentage of chromium (at least steel used to manufacture induction
10.5%) than does austenitic stainless steel cookers.
and a higher concentration of iron, which
is responsible for its magnetic properties. B) a concentration of manganese greater than
Unlike ferritic stainless steel, austenitic 10.5%, while stainless steel used to
stainless steel has a face-centered cubic crys- manufacture indoor architecture will not.
talline structure resulting from the addition
C) a face-centered cubic crystalline structure,
of nickel to the alloy. Austenitic stainless
while stainless steel used to manufacture
steel has two subtypes: the 300 series, often
induction cookers will not.
used for storage containers, and the 200
series, which has less nickel and more man- D) a lower percentage of nickel in its
ganese than the 300 series and is used for composition than stainless steel used to
indoor architecture. Thus, stainless steel manufacture induction cookers will.
used to manufacture storage containers will
have

As complex life cycle parasites, Lecithaster 39

sp. and Capillaria parophrysi require mul-
Which choice most logically completes the text?
tiple host species throughout their develop-
ment. Extrapolating from parasite counts A) although Lecithaster sp. and C.
on Pacific herring and seven other fish parophrysi both require Pacific herring as
species collected from Puget Sound from a host, C. parophrysi was more adversely
1880 to 2019, Chelsea Wood et al. found a!ected by warming- driven changes in the
that the abundance of three-host parasites, Pacific herring population than Lecithaster
such as Lecithaster sp., negatively correlated sp. was.
with rising average annual sea temperatures;
the abundance of two-host parasites, such B) population size and density of the eight
as C. parophrysi, was largely stable. Noting fish species examined in the study were
that fish and other marine vertebrates are likely largely una!ected by rising sea
especially vulnerable to climate change, temperatures.
Wood et al. observed that all three-host
C) warming-induced population changes
parasites in the study depend on at least
among Puget Sound vertebrates may have
two vertebrate species, while all two- host
suppressed some parasite populations, but
parasites depend on only one, suggesting
there were no changes among the eight
that
studied host species that a!ected two-host
parasite abundance.
D) a parasite’s sensitivity to warming
temperatures is negatively correlated with
the number of unique vertebrate species it
depends on throughout its life cycle

273
Over 600 languages are spoken in New 40
York City in addition to English- one can
Which choice most logically completes the text?
find Aromanian spoken in the neighbor-
hood of Ridgewood, or Hindi in Gramercy A) Chinese immigrants who emigrated to New
Park. Many immigrants from north China, York City many years ago are more likely
where Mandarin is the primary language, to speak several Chinese languages than
reside in the neighborhood of Flushing (part are more recent Chinese immigrants.
of New York City’s borough of Queens)
while those who emigrated from south B) there are geographic di!erences in primary
China, where many people speak Can- language within China that are reflected in
tonese or Fuzhounese as a first language, the settlement patterns of Chinese
tend to reside in Chinatown, in the bor- immigrants in New York City.
ough of Manhattan. Among speakers of
C) Chinese immigrants regularly change their
Chinese languages, those in Flushing tend
residences between Queens and Manhattan
to speak Mandarin as their primary lan-
after they emigrate, rather than staying in
guage while those in Chinatown tend to
one borough.
speak Cantonese or Fuzhounese as their pri-
mary language. This is most likely because D) taken together, there are more Cantonese
and Fuzhounese speakers among Chinese
immigrants in New York City than there
are Mandarin speakers.

Indigenous songs are an important resource 41

for ecological information. Songs of the
Which choice most logically completes the text?
Warlpiri people in Yuendumu, Australia,
convey information about wild edible seeds, A) analyze musical similarities in the songs of
and the songs of the Karen (hta) Hin Lad the Warlpiri and Karen (hta) Hin Lad Nai
Nai people in Thailand o!er detailed infor- people.
mation about bees. There have been e!orts
made to preserve Indigenous languages over B) acknowledge that Indigenous songs are
the years-e.g., the United Nations’ Inter- largely but not entirely composed using
national Decade of Indigenous Languages phrases taken from spoken language.
(2022-2032). However, such attempts have
C) incorporate the preservation of songs into
typically focused on spoken language despite
their broader e!orts to protect Indigenous
the fact that some expressions in these lan-
languages.
guages appear only in songs. Therefore, if
those involved in such e!orts want to ensure D) recognize that Indigenous languages likely
that a comprehensive range of information have more unique expressions that
is secured, they must represent ecological knowledge than
represent other types of information.

274
In a 2012 study that took place in Brazil, 42
Enelton Fagnani, José Roberto Guimarã,
Which choice most logically completes the text?
and Pedro Sérgio Fadini found a negative
association between levels of dissolved or- A) few of the studies conducted in North
ganic carbon and mercury in bodies of America have been able to measure
fresh water. It may seem reasonable to be dissolved organic carbon and mercury
skeptical of this finding, since most other levels with the same level of precision as in
studies, such as research conducted in 1995 Fagnani, Guimarã, and Fadini’s study.
in the United States by Charles T. Driscoll
and colleagues, have found that dissolved B) Fagnani, Guimarã, and Fadini’s finding
organic carbon and mercury levels rise to- may di!er from the findings of other
gether. Like the latter study, however, most studies due to a di!erence in
studies of the topic have been conducted in environmental circumstances that a!ects
North America, and many of those study the relationship between dissolved organic
sites have similar characteristics to one an- carbon and mercury in fresh water.
other, suggesting that
C) Fagnani, Guimarã, and Fadini’s study may
have inadvertently measured a di!erent
characteristic of bodies of fresh water than
their levels of dissolved organic carbon and
mercury.
D) the mercury levels reported in Fagnani,
Guimarã, and Fadini’s study were much
higher than those reported in the study by
Driscoll and colleagues even though the
dissolved organic carbon levels reported in
the two studies were approximately the
same.

275
As complex life cycle parasites, Anisakis sp. 43
and Cucullanellus kanabus require multiple
Which choice most logically completes the text?
host species throughout their development.
Extrapolating from parasite counts on A) although Anisakis sp. and C. kanabus
spotted ratfish and seven other fish species both require spotted ratfish as a host, C.
collected from Puget Sound from 1880 to kanabus was more adversely a!ected by
2019, Chelsea Wood et al. found that the warming-driven changes in the spotted
abundance of three-host parasites, such as ratfish population than Anisakis sp. was.
Anisakis sp., negatively correlated with ris-
ing average annual sea temperatures; the B) warming-induced population changes
abundance of two-host parasites, such as among Puget Sound vertebrates may have
C. kanabus, was largely stable. Noting that suppressed some parasite populations, but
fish and other marine vertebrates are espe- there were no changes among the eight
cially vulnerable to climate change, Wood et studied host species that a!ected two-host
al. observed that all three-host parasites in parasite abundance.
the study depend on at least two vertebrate
C) population size and density of the eight
species, while all two- host parasites depend
fish species examined in the study were
on only one, suggesting that
likely largely una!ected by rising sea
temperatures.
D) a parasite’s sensitivity to warming
temperatures is negatively correlated with
the number of unique vertebrate species it
depends on throughout its life cycle.

The glossy ibis and the small dark heron are 44

long-legged birds that live in wetlands, like
Which choice most logically completes the text?
the Everglades in Florida. Laura D’Acunto
and colleagues wanted to know how these A) attract glossy ibises to the area than they
birds choose an area in which to live. They are to attract small dark herons to the
looked at features of the birds’ habitats, area.
such as the geographical location of the
area and how deep the water is during the B) attract birds that don’t typically live in
birds’ breeding season. They found that wetlands to the area than they are to
glossy ibises prefer areas with deeper wa- attract glossy ibises or small dark herons
ter during breeding season, but that was to the area.
not true for small dark herons. The re-
C) extend the average lifespan of glossy ibises
searchers concluded that water management
already in the area than they are to
strategies that increase the depth of water
attract a greater number of those birds to
in potential wetland bird habitats during
the area.
breeding season are therefore more likely to
. D) decrease the area’s appeal to both glossy
ibises and small dark herons than they are
to increase the appeal to either.

276
Scientists recently created a model to pre- 45
dict how increasing human activity will
Which choice most logically completes the text?
a!ect future mammal population sizes in
U.S. national forests. Unfortunately, when A) exaggerate the e!ect of increasing human
the model is applied to large forests, its pre- activity on small mammals.
dictions for large-mammal populations are
too high, and when applied to small forests, B) overestimate the actual population sizes of
its predictions for small-mammal popula- large mammals.
tions are too high. Beaverhead-Deerlodge
C) ignore the predator-prey relationships
National Forest in Montana is a large forest,
between large and small mammals.
covering more than 3 million acres. If used
to evaluate the e!ect of increasing human D) reflect factors a!ecting large mammals
activity on this forest in years, the model other than increasing human activity.
would likely therefore

Narwhals are shy whales that live in the 46

remote Arctic Ocean. Some of them have a
Which choice most logically completes the text?
long tusk, like a unicorn horn, with sensitive
nerves. Narwhals are known for this tusk, A) some narwhals would seek a new habitat.
but many actually don’t have one and its
purpose is unknown. One group of scien- B) more narwhals would have a tusk.
tists came up with a possible purpose in
C) fewer marine animals would also have tusk
2014. The scientists suggested that the tusk
may help narwhals determine when water D) fewer marine animals would also have tusk
around them is likely to start freezing and
become dangerous for them. Marine biolo-
gist Kristin Laidre disagrees with that idea,
though. She reasons that if the narwhal’s
tusk serves such an important purpose, then
it’s most likely that

277
Over 600 languages are spoken in New York 47
City in addition to English—one can find
Which choice most logically completes the text?
Bartangi spoken in the neighborhood of
Yorkville, or Ghaile in Jackson Heights. A) languages tend to change more rapidly in
Most speakers of Chinese languages reside areas where many languages are spoken
in the neighborhood of Flushing (part of than in areas where few languages are
New York City’s borough of Queens) and in spoken.
Chinatown, in the borough of Manhattan.
New immigrants from north China, where B) correlations in a country between
Mandarin is the primary first language, tend languages and regions where they are
to settle in Queens, while new immigrants spoken can replicate themselves in a new
from south China, where many people speak country to which the original country’s
Cantonese or Fuzhounese as a first lan- citizens emigrate.
guage, tend to settle in Manhattan. It can
C) languages spoken by immigrant peoples
therefore be inferred that
can di!er significantly in vocabulary and
pronunciation from those same languages
in their country of origin.
D) there is a positive correlation between the
physical size of a country and the number
of languages spoken in that country.

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1920 novel This Side 48

of Paradise contains elements drawn from
Which choice most logically completes the text?
Fitzgerald’s own life—there are many par-
allels between the experiences of the novel’s A) This Side of Paradise is less of an
protagonist, Amory Blaine, and those of imaginative achievement than it actually
Fitzgerald—and as a result This Side of is.
Paradise is regularly described as an auto-
biographical novel. This characterization B) Fitzgerald should not have claimed that
can be useful, but it also presents drawbacks This Side of Paradise is based on real
in terms of how the work is perceived, as it events.
may lead readers to believe that Fitzgerald
C) critics disagree about whether This Side of
merely fictionalized true events, which, in an
Paradise shows greater originality than
artistic field where creativity and inventive-
works without autobiographical elements.
ness are prized, can suggest that
D) the real-world counterparts of other
characters in This Side of Paradise are
hard to identify.

278
Over 600 languages are spoken in New York 49
City in addition to English—one can find
Which choice most logically completes the text?
Acehnese spoken in the neighborhood of
Astoria, for example, or Hindi in Gramercy A) Younger speakers of Spanish in New York
Park. English is the most common, with City would be more likely to use a dialect
65% of New Yorkers speaking it at home; specific to New York City than older
Spanish is second, at 20%. A linguist hy- speakers living in the same neighborhood
pothesizes that a Spanish dialect—a vari- would be.
ation di!ering from the parent language
in some of its vocabulary, pronunciation, B) The proportion of younger speakers who
and grammar—has developed in New York use a Spanish dialect specific to New York
City, partly due to its linguistic interaction City is higher in neighborhoods where
with English. Previous research shows that many languages are spoken than in
younger speakers of nonmajority languages neighborhoods where Spanish and English
are more likely to borrow words from the predominate.
majority language of a region than are older
C) Both the number of languages spoken in
speakers. If the linguist’s hypothesis is cor-
New York City and the number of dialects
rect, it is therefore likely to be the case that
of each of those languages will increase
.
over time.
D) Spanish used by younger speakers in New
York City tends to have more words
borrowed from other nonmajority
languages than borrowed from English.

Arthurian legends (tales related to the char- 50

acter of King Arthur) derive from many
Which choice most logically completes the text?
sources, such as Preiddeu Annwfn, com-
posed around 900, and Erec and Enide from A) Malory did not use Preiddeu Annwfn as a
around 1170. One of the most significant source for information he presented about
sources, Geo!rey of Monmouth’s History of the Round Table.
the Kings of Britain, was written in Latin in
the 1130s; some material from it was later B) Geo!rey of Monmouth was unaware of
adapted by the Norman poet Wace into stories of the Round Table when
the Roman de Brut in 1155. But while no composing his History, though historians
source before 1155 includes references to know that works containing such stories
the famous Round Table at which Arthur’s were available to him.
knights assembled, both the Roman de
C) Le Morte d’Arthur is more historically
Brut and Sir Thomas Malory’s 15th-century
accurate than History, because Erec and
compilation of Arthurian legends, Le Morte
Enide had not been written when Geo!rey
d’Arthur, do. It can therefore be inferred
of Monmouth was writing his work.
that .
D) Geo!rey of Monmouth’s accounts of
Arthurian legends in his History are more
similar overall in content to the accounts
in Erec and Enide than they are to the
accounts in Roman de Brut.

279
An analysis by Alain Elayi and colleagues 51
of coins minted in Sidon in the fifth and
Which choice most logically completes the text?
fourth centuries BCE reveals a change in
their composition over time: while a coin A) keep the amount of silver in Sidonian coins
from circa 450 BCE contains about 98% consistent with that in coins minted in 367
silver and 1% copper, a coin from 367 BCE BCE but decrease their weight.
(the end of Ba‘alšillem II’s reign) contains
74.2% silver and 24.7% copper, giving it a B) proclaim that the percentage of silver in
relatively yellowish appearance that traders coins suitable for trade would be raised to
would have noticed. Because coins with a threshold higher than 80%.
a silver content below 80% were widely
C) fund the mining of some copper deposits
considered unsuitable for trade, Elayi et
that were not available to Ba‘alšillem II.
al. speculate that a crisis in confidence in
the currency occurred in Sidon around 367 D) begin minting heavier coins with a
BCE, which was likely relieved—despite proportion of silver to copper similar to
Sidon’s persistent oppressive financial obli- that in coins minted in 367 BCE.
gations—as a result of Ba‘alšillem II’s suc-
cessor Abd’aštart I’s decision to .

Over 600 languages are spoken in New 52

York City in addition to English—one can
Which choice most logically completes the text?
find Bengali spoken in the neighborhood of
Parkchester, or Fujianese in Sunset Park. A) correlations in a country between
Most speakers of Chinese languages reside languages and regions where they are
in the neighborhood of Flushing (part of spoken can replicate themselves in a new
New York City’s borough of Queens) and in country to which the original country’s
Chinatown, in the borough of Manhattan. citizens emigrate.
New immigrants from north China, where
Mandarin is the primary first language, tend B) there is a positive correlation between the
to settle in Queens, while new immigrants physical size of a country and the number
from south China, where many people speak of languages spoken in that country.
Cantonese or Fuzhounese as a first lan-
C) languages tend to change more rapidly in
guage, tend to settle in Manhattan. It can
areas where many languages are spoken
therefore be inferred that .
than in areas where few languages are
spoken.
D) languages spoken by immigrant peoples
can di!er significantly in vocabulary and
pronunciation from those same languages
in their country of origin

280
The Mammillaria cactus M. anniana occurs 53
naturally only in the state of Tamaulipas
Which choice most logically completes the text?
in Mexico, and the smallness of its range
makes it especially vulnerable to extinction. A) fail to consider the ways in which the
The traditional single-species approach to survival of M. anniana may be influenced
conservation emphasizes the need to focus by changes in the populations of other
on individual species most at risk, like M. species that inhabit Tamaulipas.
anniana, but recently, conservationists have
argued that an ecosystem-based approach B) erroneously shift the focus of conservation
that incorporates the many interactions e!orts away from M. anniana itself.
between the climate, terrain, and various
C) lead to a better understanding of how the
species of a given geographical area may
distribution of Mammillaria species
lead to better outcomes for all the species in
throughout Mexico has a!ected their
a given location. If this view is correct, the
survival.
single-species approach to the conservation
of M. anniana could thus . D) allow conservationists to better consider
how climatic changes a!ecting Tamaulipas
may reduce the number of species
competing with M. anniana.

Arthurian legends (tales related to the char- 54

acter of King Arthur) derive from many
Which choice most logically completes the text?
sources, such as Preiddeu Annwfn, com-
posed around 900, and Tom a Lincoln from A) Geo!rey of Monmouth’s accounts of
around 1607. One of the most significant Arthurian legends in his History are more
sources, Geo!rey of Monmouth’s History of similar overall in content to the accounts
the Kings of Britain, was written in Latin in in Tom a Lincoln than they are to the
the 1130s; some material from it was later accounts in Roman de Brut.
adapted by the Norman poet Wace into
the Roman de Brut in 1155. But while no B) Geo!rey of Monmouth was unaware of
source before 1155 includes references to stories of the Round Table when
the famous Round Table at which Arthur’s composing his History, though historians
knights assembled, both the Roman de know that works containing such stories
Brut and Sir Thomas Malory’s 15th-century were available to him.
compilation of Arthurian legends, Le Morte
C) Malory did not use Preiddeu Annwfn as a
d’Arthur, do. It can therefore be inferred
source for information he presented about
that
the Round Table.
D) Le Morte d’Arthur is more historically
accurate than History, because Tom a
Lincoln had not been written when
Geo!rey of Monmouth was writing his
work.

281
 Exclusively inhabiting tropical countries 55
such as Sierra Leone, wild chimpanzees lack
Which choice most logically completes the text?
adaptations to seasonal variations in ultra-
violet B (UVB) irradiance from sunlight; A) averaged across seasons, vitamin D levels
since UVB exposure enables vertebrates to in zoo chimpanzees in mid-latitude
synthesize vitamin D, this raises questions countries such as Sweden tend to be
about how chimpanzees in mid-latitude comparable to those in wild chimpanzees
zoos are a!ected by the lower and more in tropical countries such as Sierra Leone.
variable UVB irradiance in those locations.
In a study of zoo chimpanzees in Sweden B) adaptations to seasonal variations in UVB
and other mid-latitude countries, Sophie irradiance may be emerging in zoo
Moittié and colleagues found not only that chimpanzees in Sweden and other
chimpanzees’ vitamin D levels correlate with mid-latitude countries.
UVB irradiance but also that vitamin D lev-
C) providing supplemental vitamin D to
els show no evidence of plateauing as UVB
chimpanzees in zoos in Sweden and other
irradiance reaches its highest local levels,
mid-latitude countries would likely not be
suggesting that
beneficial.
D) zoo chimpanzees in Sweden and other
mid-latitude countries tend to synthesize
less vitamin D than they are inherently
capable of synthesizing.

Many Indian snack foods, such as bhatoora 56

and paneer pakora, acquire their flavor from
Which choice most logically completes the text?
being fried in oil; some are also coated in
batter beforehand. Chemists Marc A. Mey- A) have a more viscous crust when frying is
ers and Andrew Grazela studied the mass completed than it would have if it were
and heat transfer processes that occur when fried with a coating of hydrocolloid batter.
foods are fried in batters containing hydro-
colloids, polymers that become viscous or B) have a higher fat content than it would
gel-like in water. During frying, water in have if it were fried with a coating of
the food evaporates, leaving voids that oil hydrocolloid batter.
(a pure fat) can fill. As the process con-
C) need to be cooked more quickly at a higher
tinues, water from the food’s center moves
temperature than it would need to be
to the crust as long as the crust remains
cooked if it were fried with a coating of
permeable. However, hydrocolloids can
hydrocolloid batter.
create structures in the crust that reduce
the transfer of moisture out of the food’s D) need to be cooked in a di!erent oil than it
core during frying. Therefore, a food fried would need to be cooked in if it were fried
without a hydrocolloid batter coating will with a coating of hydrocolloid batter.
likely

@satashkent 282
Zooarchaeologist Ophélie Lebrasseur and 57
her team examined a fox skeleton discovered
Which choice most logically completes the text?
in 1991 at an archaeological site alongside
artifacts of human habitation (like spear A) the humans who were alive at the same
points) in central Argentina. Lebrasseur et time as the fox most likely ate more meat
al. determined that the fox was Dusicyon than the fox did.
avus, an extinct species resembling a jackal,
and radiocarbon dating placed the fox at B) the fox had a diet more similar to that of
the site at the same time as human inhab- jackals than to that of wild foxes.
itants. (Indeed, the inhabitants may have
C) the humans who were alive at the same
deliberately buried the fox.) In addition,
time as the fox hunted using the spears
while wild foxes have a diet entirely made
whose points were also found at the site.
of meat, isotopic signatures of the skele-
ton’s teeth indicated that the fox’s diet, like D) the fox may have been a companion
that of the humans, was partly composed of animal of the humans who inhabited the
plant material. Lebrasseur et al. therefore site at the same time.
concluded that

Prolonged exposure to anthropogenic noise 58

(sounds from human sources like tra”c
Which choice most logically completes the text?
or mining) can a!ect animals, as Graeme
Shannon and colleagues found in a 2014 A) some studies of fish found larger e!ects of
study of black-tailed prairie dogs. Re- exposure to anthropogenic noise than some
searchers conducted a meta-analysis of stud- studies of mammals did.
ies of how such noise a!ects animals and
found that, for every study, relevant traits B) the di!erences that studies attribute to
or behaviors of the animals were observably exposure to anthropogenic noise are likely
di!erent between the exposed group and to be more pronounced for fish than they
the otherwise similar but unexposed group. are for mammals.
Although, on average, studies of mammals
C) the di!erence found in the study conducted
showed larger di!erences than studies of fish
by Graeme Shannon and colleagues was
did, for every class of animals examined,
likely larger than the average di!erence for
there were individual studies showing di!er-
studies of black-tailed prairie dogs
ences well above the average for mammals.
included in the meta-analysis.
Therefore, the results of the meta-analysis
suggest that D) the studies in the meta-analysis that
examined mammals were more likely than
those that examined fish to specify
whether the observed e!ects were
detrimental.

283
Liverpool Football Club won more than 59
half its home matches between 1947 and
Which choice most logically completes the text?
2003, helping to distinguish the team as a
top British professional soccer club. Ad- A) played more aggressively than they would
ditionally, Liverpool, whose home uniform have if their own uniforms were red.
color is mainly red, was more successful
in home matches than was Watford Foot- B) been influenced by the color of Liverpool’s
ball Club, whose home uniform color is not uniforms.
red. Research has shown that many people
C) been aware that Liverpool’s uniform color
associate the color red with power and dom-
a!ected their own performance.
inance. Past experiences with red objects
such as stop signs can even cause people to D) been una!ected by the red clothing worn
respond to the color red with caution and by fans in the stadium.
hesitation. These findings, if applicable in
the context of athletic competitions, could
suggest that in matches played at Liver-
pool’s home stadium, opponents may have

India has classified the spiraling whitefly as 60

an invasive species that could harm some of
Which choice most logically completes the text?
the country’s native species. But researchers
Alejandro Camacho and Jason McLachlan A) the country’s designation of the spiraling
have pointed out that “invasive” and “na- whitefly as invasive may be appropriate
tive” are labels that describe temporary now but not in the future.
circumstances. Changes in Earth’s climate
may force animals from their current ranges. B) it’s useful at present for the country to
Climate changes may also create good habi- distinguish between invasive and native
tats in areas where a species couldn’t live species in some instances but not in the
previously. In the case of India, these obser- case of the spiraling whitefly.
vations suggest that
C) even if Earth’s climate doesn’t change in
the way scientists predict, the spiraling
whitefly will likely establish itself in the
country.
D) the country was previously home to some
spiraling whiteflies but they were
outcompeted by invading species.

284
As exemplified by Temiar songs about land- 61
forms and landmarks and Lakota songs
Which choice most logically completes the text?
about gathering mouse beans, ecological in-
formation can be transmitted in Indigenous A) representation of practical applications of
songs, and in some instances is maintained ecological knowledge is the defining
only in this way. Kwaxsistalla Wathl’thla, a characteristic of the music of certain
song keeper for the Kwakwaka’wakw people Indigenous peoples.
in Canada, collaborated with ethnobiolo-
gist Dana Lepofsky et al., sharing songs B) the Kwakwaka’wakw people likely would
referencing terraced intertidal clam gar- not have detailed their creation of clam
dens the people implemented in the past gardens in songs if their e!orts had not
to foster healthy development of a dietary produced significantly larger clams.
staple. Drawing on archaeological evidence
C) the clams harvested from intertidal
as well, Lepofsky et al. determined that the
terraces by Kwakwaka’wakw people in the
prevalence of the practice described in the
past likely were a di!erent species than the
songs corresponded with growth in clam size
clams found in those areas today.
and abundance despite increased harvesting
pressure—a finding that demonstrates that D) e!ective methods for the cultivation of
sources of sustenance are among the
ecological knowledge preserved in
Indigenous songs.

A group of primate conservationists re- 62

cently began a long-term study of the e!ects
Which choice most logically completes the text?
of di!erent conservation strategies on the
white-headed langur (Trachypithecus po- A) risk making inaccurate conclusions about
liocephalus). The species population is the e!ectiveness of di!erent conservation
currently estimated to be around 1,000. strategies.
It is challenging to accurately count these
primates, however, which makes it di”cult B) cause other conservationists to adopt a
to tell whether the population is increasing, new methodology for counting populations.
decreasing, or staying stable. The study
C) benefit from including species beyond the
may thus
white-headed langur.
D) fail to consider less-well-known
conservation approaches for the
white-headed langur.

285
Scholars are increasingly exploring the 63
communication and preservation of ecolog-
Which choice most logically completes the text?
ical knowledge through Indigenous songs
(e.g., Temiar songs about landforms and A) there is greater corroboration in the
landmarks and those of the Tlingit people archaeological record of ecological
about wildlife encounters). In one study, practices described in Kwakwaka’wakw
ethnobiologist Dana Lepofsky et al. received songs than of those described in Temiar
insight from Kwaxsistalla Wathl’thla, a song and Tlingit songs.
keeper for the Kwakwaka’wakw people in
Canada, into songs referencing the people’s B) non-Indigenous people around the Pacific
use of terraced gardens in intertidal zones Northwest coast adopted the practice
along the Pacific Northwest coast for the developed by the Kwakwaka’wakw people
cultivation of clams for consumption. Ar- after observing its e”cacy.
chaeological evidence of significant increases
C) although contemporary Kwakwaka’wakw
in clam size and abundance in that area
people have a deep understanding of and
concurrent with the documented past imple-
appreciation for the fishing and farming
mentation of the method described in the
practices used by their ancestors, they no
songs supports the conclusion that
longer implement those methods.
D) the practice used by ancestors of modern
Kwakwaka’wakw people not only
e!ectively maintained a food source but
also promoted its robustness.

For its 1974 work Instant Mural, the Chi- 64

cano art collective Asco taped members
Which choice most logically completes the text?
Patsy Valdez and Humberto Sandoval to an
outdoor wall in East Los Angeles. The work A) while Valdez’s presence in Instant Mural
is manifestly a commentary on constraint, represents the social constraints placed on
but many critics focus on Valdez and the women at the time, Sandoval’s presence
social constraints women faced at the time, represents Chicano muralists’ frustration
which is understandable but leaves the pres- at their lack of recognition by the art
ence of Valdez’s male collaborator Sandoval establishment.
unexplained. We should instead consider
that in 1974, the art establishment’s recog- B) the main subject of Instant Mural is
nition of Chicano artists was (and had long female Chicano artists’ experience of being
been) restricted to sociohistorical muralists, doubly constrained by gender-role
leaving nonmuralist Chicano artists—like expectations and the marginalization of
Asco’s members—struggling to even ex- certain types of art.
hibit their work; attending to this context
C) Instant Mural is best understood not as a
opens an interpretation that accounts for all
critique of the social constraints placed on
the evidence, allowing us to conclude that
women but rather as a critique of
sociohistorical muralists’ depictions of
Chicano culture.
D) Instant Mural is a reflection on the
constraining aesthetic expectations placed
on Chicano artists in general rather than
on the social constraints placed on women
specifically.

286
A road was recently built in a Maryland 65
woodland that is home to the house finch.
Which choice most logically completes the text?
Some finches’ nests were situated close to
the new road and others were deeper in the A) finch eggs will make up about the same
woodland. Common ravens, which eat finch percentage of common ravens’ diet as they
eggs, can spot nests near the open spaces did before the road was built.
of roads more easily than they can spot
nests surrounded by woodland. Accordingly, B) the number of finches building nests near
researchers in Maryland trying to predict the road will gradually increase as the
the impact of the new road on finches have finches adapt to the presence of the
suggested that common ravens.
C) finches nesting near the road will lose eggs
to common ravens at a higher rate than
will finches nesting far from the road.
D) finches nesting far from the road will lay
fewer eggs per nest than will finches
nesting near the road.

Biologists Rebecca M. Calisi-Rodriguez and 66

George E. Bentley examined research on
Which choice most logically completes the text?
species such as dark-eyed juncos and tucos,
which have both been studied under labo- A) more suitable than wild settings for
ratory conditions as well as in the wild, to studying tucos’ patterns of rest and
see whether there were significant di!erences activity.
between findings in the wild and in the lab.
And, for example, they found for tucos that B) a!ecting the results for both tucos and
daytime is the most active period for wild dark-eyed juncos.
individuals but not for captive individu-
C) more suitable for studying dark-eyed
als. Calisi-Rodriguez and Bentley therefore
juncos than for studying tucos.
concluded that the laboratory setting was
likely D) interfering with tucos’ patterns of rest and
activity.

287
All stainless steel contains varying amounts 67
of iron, carbon, and corrosion-inhibiting
Which choice most logically completes the text?
chromium. However, ferritic stainless steel,
often used for induction cookers, contains A) furnaces and stainless steel used to
a higher percentage of chromium (at least manufacture washing machines will both
10.5%) than does austenitic stainless steel have a chromium content of less than
as well as a higher concentration of iron. 10.5%.
Unlike ferritic stainless steel, austenitic
stainless steel has a face-centered cubic crys- B) washing machines will have a higher
talline structure held stable by the presence concentration of nickel in its composition
of nickel and nitrogen. Austenitic stainless than stainless steel used to manufacture
steel has two subtypes: the 200 series, often furnaces will.
used for washing machines, and the 300
C) induction cookers will have a face-centered
series, which has more nickel than the 200
cubic crystalline structure, but stainless
series and is often used for storage contain-
steel used to manufacture storage
ers or furnaces. Thus, stainless steel used to
containers will not.
manufacture
D) storage containers and stainless steel used
to manufacture induction cookers will have
a similar concentration of nitrogen in their
compositions.

The Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) is an 68

expanse of abyssal plain and seamounts
Which choice most logically completes the text?
(underwater mountains) between Hawai‘i
and Mexico in which mining is permitted, A) more likely to properly distinguish between
but the area’s biodiversity is poorly under- morphologically similar but distinct
stood. The vast majority of invertebrate invertebrate species than is the method
species found in a recent survey of the CCZ used to identify Prionospio branchioclada.
were hitherto unknown to scientists, and
sampling for animal life has been highly B) more frequently used for identifying
concentrated in the eastern part of the zone. species with physiological characteristics
Some species like Ledella knudseni were like those of Ledella knudseni than
identified both morphologically and molec- morphological analysis is.
ularly (using DNA analysis), whereas Pri-
C) better suited to distinguishing Prionospio
onospio branchioclada and other species for
branchioclada from morphologically
which molecular sampling was impracticable
similar species than to distinguishing
were identified solely based on physical mor-
Ledella knudseni from morphologically
phology. Since molecular analysis does not
similar species.
require distinguishing subtle physiological
di!erences, it is D) capable of providing greater physiological
detail about a species than is the method
used for Prionospio branchioclada.

288
As exemplified by Sakha songs about local 69
ecosystems and Kaluli songs about rain-
Which choice most logically completes the text?
forest sounds, ecological information can
be transmitted in Indigenous songs, and in A) the clams harvested from intertidal
some instances is maintained only in this terraces by Kwakwaka’wakw people in the
way. Kwaxsistalla Wathl’thla, a song keeper past likely were a di!erent species than the
for the Kwakwaka’wakw people in Canada, clams found in those areas today.
collaborated with ethnobiologist Dana
Lepofsky et al., sharing songs referencing B) the Kwakwaka’wakw people likely would
terraced intertidal clam gardens the people not have detailed their creation of clam
implemented in the past to foster healthy gardens in songs if their e!orts had not
development of a dietary staple. Drawing produced significantly larger clams.
on archaeological evidence as well, Lepofsky
C) representation of practical applications of
et al. determined that the prevalence of the
ecological knowledge is the defining
practice described in the songs corresponded
characteristic of the music of certain
with growth in clam size and abundance
Indigenous peoples.
despite increased harvesting pressure—a
finding that demonstrates that D) e!ective methods for the cultivation of
sources of sustenance are among the
ecological knowledge preserved in
Indigenous songs.

Researchers have noted that people with 70

clinically typical hearing perceive sounds
Which choice most logically completes the text?
they believe to be meaningful as quieter
than sounds of the same volume that they A) experienced the nature sounds as louder
believe to be noise (i.e., meaningless to the than ’Sad but True’ even though they were
listener). In a recent study, Antonia Olivia not.
Dolan and colleagues allowed participants to
listen to (and adjust the volume of) record- B) believed that neither the nature sounds
ings of music in popular genres like heavy nor ’Sad but True’ were at a volume of
metal and acoustic folk, as well as record- 61.5 decibels.
ings of nature sounds. The researchers
C) perceived the nature sounds and ’Sad but
noted that participants may have treated
True’ to be comparably meaningful despite
the nature sounds as noise, which suggests
perceiving the music to be quieter.
that if a participant was exposed to Metal-
lica’s ’Sad but True’ and the nature sounds D) adjusted the volume of the nature sounds
at a volume of 61.5 decibels, the participant to be greater than 61.5 decibels.
likely would have

289
Evan MacLean and colleagues evaluated be- 71
havioral and genetic data from over 14,000
Which choice most logically completes the text?
dogs, representing more than 100 breeds,
and found that variation in behavior be- A) the French bulldog and the cairn terrier
tween breeds can be attributed to genetic di!er with respect to the genetic
variations between those breeds, suggest- underpinnings for attachment and
ing a genetic basis for breed di!erences in attention-seeking.
behavior. This was the case for both sep-
aration problems and dog rivalry but was B) the French bulldog and the cairn terrier
especially pronounced for attachment and will likely become more genetically similar
attention-seeking, which can be seen when over time.
a dog solicits a!ection or attention. In a
C) French bulldogs and cairn terriers show a
di!erent study, researchers found that, with
greater tendency toward attachment and
regard to attachment and attention-seeking,
attention-seeking than most other dog
the French bulldog behaves notably di!erent
breeds do.
ways than the cairn terrier. Together these
findings D) individual French bulldogs may display
higher levels of attachment and
attention-seeking than individual cairn
terriers

The lacy hawkmoth, a large-bodied moth, 72

defends itself against the eastern red bat
Which choice most logically completes the text?
and other insect-eating bats, which use
echolocation to hunt, by emitting ultra- A) anti-bat ultrasound production may be a
sonic clicks that can, for instance, disrupt more prevalent defense strategy among
the bats’ echolocation signals. To inves- large-bodied moths than previously known
tigate moths’ defense ultrasound—which to researchers.
researchers had thought was exclusive to
tiger moths, hawkmoths and one species of B) ultrasound production is only one of a
geometrid moths—Akito Y. Kawahara et al. diverse range of e!ective strategies moths
recorded the responses of moths from 252 employ to evade bat attacks.
genera, representing most families of large-
C) unlike the 52 moth genera that emit
bodied moths, to audio playback of bat
ultrasonic clicks, most moth genera have
echolocation. The researchers found that
likely not developed defenses specifically
52 of the genera, including several genera
against bat attacks.
belonging to the geometer family, produced
defensive ultrasonic clicks. This result sug- D) some genera of large-bodied moths may
gests that use ultrasonic signaling for purposes other
than avoiding capture by predators such as
the eastern red bat.

290
As exemplified by Yi songs about the nat- 73
ural environment and Tlingit songs about
Which choice most logically completes the text?
wildlife encounters, ecological information
can be transmitted in Indigenous songs, and A) representation of practical applications of
in some instances is maintained only in this ecological knowledge is the defining
way. Kwaxsistalla Wathl’eth, a song keeper characteristic of the music of certain
for the Kwakwaka’wakw people in Canada, Indigenous peoples.
collaborated with ethnobiologist Dana
Lepofsky et al., sharing songs referencing B) the Kwakwaka’wakw people likely would
terraced intertidal clam gardens the people not have detailed their creation of clam
implemented in the past to foster healthy gardens in songs if their e!orts had not
development of a dietary staple. Drawing produced significantly larger clams.
on archeological evidence as well, Lepofsky
C) the clams harvested from intertidal
et al. determined that the prevalence of the
terraces by Kwakwaka’wakw people in the
practice described in the songs corresponded
past likely were a di!erent species than
with growth in clam yield and abundance
wild clams found in those areas today.
despite increased harvesting pressure—a
finding that demonstrates that D) e!ective methods for the cultivation of
sources of sustenance are among the
ecological knowledge preserved in
Indigenous songs.

Researchers have noted that people with 74

clinically typical hearing perceive sounds
Which choice most logically completes the text?
they believe to be meaningful as quieter
than sounds of the same volume that they A) adjusted the volume of the nature sounds
believe to be noise (i.e., meaningless to the to be greater than 61.5 decibels.
listener). In a recent study, Antonia Olivia
Dolan and colleagues allowed participants to B) believed that neither the nature sounds
listen to (and adjust the volume of) record- nor “Heartbeats” were at a volume of 61.5
ings of music in popular genres like acoustic decibels.
folk and orchestral, as well as recordings of
C) experienced the nature sounds as louder
nature sounds. The researchers noted that
than “Heartbeats” even though they were
participants may have treated the nature
not.
sounds as noise, which suggests that if a
participant was exposed to Jose Gonzalez’s D) perceived the nature sounds and
“Heartbeats” and the nature sounds at a “Heartbeats” to be comparably meaningful
volume of 61.5 decibels, the participant despite perceiving the music to be quieter.
likely would have

291
Evan MacLean and colleagues evaluated 75
behavioral and genetic data from over
Which choice most logically completes the text?
14,000 dogs, representing more than 100
breeds, and found that variations in be- A) the English masti! and the Yorkshire
havior between breeds can be attributed terrier will likely become more genetically
to genetic variations between those breeds, similar over time.
suggesting a genetic basis for breed di!er-
ences in behavior. This was the case for B) the English masti! and the Yorkshire
both separation problems and energy but terrier di!er with respect to the genetic
was especially pronounced for trainability, underpinnings for trainability.
which can be seen when a dog demonstrates
C) individual English masti!s may display
willingness to fetch objects. In a di!erent
higher levels of trainability than individual
study, researchers found that, with regard
Yorkshire terriers.
to trainability, the English masti! behaves
in notably di!erent ways than the Yorkshire D) English masti!s and Yorkshire terriers
terrier. Together, these findings imply that show a greater tendency toward
trainability than most other dog breeds do.

The jade hawkmoth, a large-bodied moth, 76

defends itself against Brandt’s myotis and
Which choice most logically completes the text?
other insect-eating bats, which use echolo-
cation to hunt, by emitting ultrasonic clicks A) unlike the 52 moth genera that emit
that can, for instance, signal the moths’ ultrasonic clicks, most moth genera have
unpleasant taste. To investigate moths’ likely not developed defenses specifically
defensive ultrasound—which researchers against bat attacks.
had thought was exclusive to tiger moths,
hawkmoths, and one species of geometer B) some genera of large-bodied moths may
moths—Jesse R. Barber et al. recorded the use ultrasonic signaling for purposes other
responses of moths from 252 genera, repre- than avoiding capture by predators such as
senting most families of large-bodied moths, Brandt’s myotis.
to audio playback of bat echolocation. The
C) ultrasound production is only one of a
researchers found that 52 of the genera,
diverse range of e!ective strategies moths
including several genera belonging to the ge-
employ to evade bat attacks.
ometer family, produced defensive ultrasonic
clicks. This result suggests that D) anti-bat ultrasound production may be a
more prevalent defense strategy among
large-bodied moths than previously known
to researchers.

292
As exemplified by Yi songs about the nat- 77
ural environment and Tlingit songs about
Which choice most logically completes the text?
wildlife encounters, ecological information
can be transmitted in Indigenous songs, and A) representation of practical applications of
in some instances is maintained only in this ecological knowledge is the defining
way. Kwaxsistalla Wathl’thla, a song keeper characteristic of the music of certain
for the Kwakwaka’wakw people in Canada, Indigenous peoples.
collaborated with ethnobiologist Dana
Lepofsky et al., sharing songs referencing B) the Kwakwaka’wakw people likely would
terraced intertidal clam gardens the people not have detailed their creation of clam
implemented in the past to foster healthy gardens in songs if their e!orts had not
development of a dietary staple. Drawing produced significantly larger clams.
on archaeological evidence as well, Lepofsky
C) the clams harvested from intertidal
et al. determined that the prevalence of the
terraces by Kwakwaka’wakw people in the
practice described in the songs corresponded
past likely were a di!erent species than the
with growth in clam size and abundance
clams found in those areas today.
despite increased harvesting pressure—a
finding that demonstrates that D) e!ective methods for the cultivation of
sources of sustenance are among the
ecological knowledge preserved in
Indigenous songs.

She”eld United Football Club won more 78

than half its home matches between 1947
Which choice most logically completes the text?
and 2003, helping to distinguish the team
as a top British professional soccer club. A) been una!ected by the red clothing worn
Additionally, She”eld United, whose home by fans in the stadium.
uniform color is mainly red, was more suc-
cessful in home matches than was Cardi! B) played more aggressively than they would
City Football Club, whose home uniform have if their own uniforms were red.
color is not red. Researches has shown that
C) been influenced by the color of the
many people associate the color red with
She”eld United’s uniforms.
power and dominance. Past experiences
with red objects such as stop signs can even D) been aware that She”eld United’s uniform
cause people to respond to the color red color a!ected their own performance.
with caution and hesitation. These find-
ings, if applicable in the context of athletic
competitions, could suggest that in matches
played at She”eld United’s home stadium,
opponents may have

293
In June 1986, India liberalized its stock 79
market, meaning that it began allowing
Which choice most logically completes the text?
foreign individuals and businesses to invest
money in Indian companies. This was part A) liberalization may provide a boost to
of a wave of Stock market liberalizations investment that fades over time.
from the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s
- Colombia in 1991, Nigeria in 1995, and so B) economists’ expectations about the e!ect
on. In an analysis of economic data from of liberalization on investment were largely
1976 to 1993, Ross Levine and Sara Zervos correct.
found that liberalization did not lead to
C) companies typically do not benefit from
enduring increases in investment in com-
liberalization until at least three years
panies based in countries that liberalized.
after liberalization occurs.
Peter Blair Henry, however, found that, on
average, investment in companies increased D) investment growth is likely to be more
significantly in the three years following consistent in countries that liberalize than
liberalization. Taken together, these results in countries that do not.
suggest that

Data collected by the Mars rover Curios- 80

ity at the Gale Crater’s Murray Formation
Which choice most logically completes the text?
are suggestive of hydrological deposition
of sediment in the distant past. To char- A) a lake existed at the Murray Formation for
acterize the nature of the depositional a prolonged period, though the lake
environment, Frances Rivera-Hernández et occasionally experienced drying and there
al analyzed the grain size of Murray Forma- were periods in which one or more streams
tion sediment, finding that although there were present.
are intervals of coarse grains, most of the
sediment consists of fine grains that show B) a stream-fed lake was present at Murray
signs of cracking due to episodic desiccation. Formation for extended period, and
Rivera-Hernández et al. concluded that the although the streams experienced
coarse grains are sandstone, which tends to occasional drying, the lake did not.
be deposited by flowing water, whereas the
C) one or more streams existed at the Murray
fine grains are mudstone, which is slowly
Formation for an extended period until
deposited by settling out of suspension in
being replaced by a lake that persisted for
low-flow water, leading the researchers to
only a brief period before permanently
posit that
drying.
D) although the area of the Murray Formation
experienced a prolonged period of dryness
that prevented a lake from forming, water
flowing from a distant source was present.

294
 Although the language of the Olmec civ- 81
ilization, which flourished in southern
Which choice most logically completes the text?
Mexico circa 1500 BCE-400 BCE, hasn’t
been identified, it likely belonged to the A) North Central Mixe and the other
Mixe-Zoquean family, a group of related languages of the Mixe branch likely
languages whose present-day representa- supplanted the language of the Zoque
tives are spoken in an area corresponding to branch sometime before 1500 BCE.
ancient Olmec sites. The family can be sub-
divided into a Zoque branch, which includes B) the language of the Olmec civilization was
Francisco León Zoque, and a Mixe branch, likely the founding of the family that
which includes North Central Mixe. Many includes Mayan languages.
words in the Mayan languages - languages
C) the language of the Olmec civilization
spoken in the region but otherwise unrelated
contributed words not only to Mayan
to the Mixe-Zoquean family - are Mixe-
languages but also to other languages in
Zoquean in origin and were likely borrowed
the Mixe-Zoquean family.
during the period when the Olmecs dom-
inated the entire area. Tellingly all those D) the Mixe-Zoquean family had already
words derive from Zoque branch, suggesting diverged into the Mixe and Zoque
that branches by the time the Olmecs became
the prevailing power in the region.

Manchester United Football Club won more 82

than half its home matches between 1947
Which choice most logically completes the text?
and 2003, helping to distinguish the team
as a top British professional soccer club. A) increased Manchester United player’s sense
Additionally. Manchester United, whose of excitement.
home uniform color is mainly red, was more
successful in home matches than was Coven- B) negatively e!ected the performance of
try City Football Club, whose home uniform players on opposing teams.
color is not red. Research has shown that
C) led fans to perceive the team’s opponents
many people associate the color red with
as more dominant than they actually were.
power and dominance. Past experiences
with red objects such as stop signs can even D) caused Manchester United’s players to
cause people to respond to the color red play less skillfully.
with caution and hesitation. These findings,
if applicable in the context of athletic com-
petitions, could suggest that the uniforms
worn by Manchester United’s players in
their home matches may have

@satashkent 295
Biologists Rebecca M. Calisi-Rodriguez and 83
George L. Bentley examined research on
Which choice most logically completes the text?
white- throated sparrows and degus, both of
which have been studied in the laboratory A) hormone levels were higher in wild males
as well as in the wild, to see how studies’ than in captive male degus.
settings might have a!ected their results.
Lab studies are useful because they make B) captive sparrows and wild sparrows usually
it easy to control important variables, but exhibited very similar hormone levels.
white-throated sparrows’ surroundings can
C) significant di!erence in hormone levels
significantly a!ect their hormone levels.
between individuals were found for both
Therefore, it’s not altogether surprising that
captive sparrows and wild sparrows.
when Calisi-Rodriguez and Bentley exam-
ined studies of white- throated sparrows, D) baseline levels of the hormone
they found that corticosterone are higher in captive
sparrows than they are in wild sparrows.

Exclusively inhabiting tropical countries 84

such as Liberia, wild chimpanzees lack
Which choice most logically completes the text?
adaptations to seasonal variations in ultra-
violet B (UVB) irradiance from sunlight; A) averaged across seasons, vitamin D levels
since UVB exposure enables vertebrates to in zoo chimpanzees in mid-latitude
synthesize vitamin D, this raises questions countries such as Norway tend to be
about how chimpanzees in mid-latitude comparable to those in wild chimpanzees
zoos are a!ected by the lower and more in tropical countries such as Liberia.
variable UVB irradiance in those locations.
In a study of zoo chimpanzees in Norway B) adaptations to seasonal variations in UVB
and other mid latitude countries, Sophie irradiance may be emerging in zoo
Moittié and colleagues found not only that chimpanzees in Norway and other
chimpanzees’ vitamin D levels correlate with mid-latitude countries.
UVB irradiance but also that vitamin D lev-
C) zoo chimpanzees in Norway and other
els show no evidence of plateauing as UVB
mid-latitude countries tend to synthesize
irradiance reaches its highest local levels,
less vitamin D than they are inherently
suggesting that
capable of synthesizing
D) providing supplemental vitamin D to
chimpanzees in zoos in Norway and other
mid-latitude countries would likely not be
beneficial.

296
To understand consumer loyalty to spe- 85
cific online retailers, Marina Žižakov and
Which choice most logically completes the text?
colleagues conducted a survey using 58
statements as proxy indicators of customer A) additional research is needed with
experience with receiving online purchases. participants from countries of varying
The statements were categorized by topic levels of economic development to
– e.g., statement 13, ’I am eagerly awaiting determine whether delivery time and
the delivery of the ordered items,’ was cat- tracking are more important than package
egorized as anticipation and respondents all design to customers broadly.
of whom were from Serbia (which is char-
acterized as having a developing economy), B) customers in countries with higher levels of
rated the importance of each statement to economic development than that of Serbia
their experience. Researchers found that are likely to regard package design as
participants placed low importance on relatively more important than delivery
package aesthetics and high importance on time and transparency.
speedy delivery and package tracking, but
C) online retailers that operate in a variety of
the researchers cautioned against applying
countries are more likely to increase
the findings to customers generally, suggest-
customer loyalty if they make their
ing that
deliveries in less time and allow customers
to track those deliveries than if they
improve their packaging.
D) the greater importance assigned to
delivery time and tracking than to package
design may not be observed if the survey
were to be given to a larger group of
Serbian participants.

297
Chelsea Wood et al. tracked temperature- 86
driven changes in the abundance of Ope-
Which choice most logically completes the text?
chona sp (a complex life cycle parasite,
or CLP, that requires three host species A) CLPs primarily transmitted by ingestion
throughout its life cycle), Anthocotyle were less dependent on host species
merlucci (a directly transmitted parasite, adversely a!ected by warming
which requires only one host species), and temperatures than were CLPs that use
83 other parasite taxa found on eight fish other transmission strategies.
species. CLPs are transmitted when an in-
fected host is ingested by an individual of B) as the number of host species involved in a
another species, typically shielding CLPS parasite’s transmission increases, the
from the external environment, whereas parasite is better protected against rising
directly transmitted parasites are exposed temperatures.
to external conditions during transmission.
C) directly transmitted parasites identified in
However, Wood et al. found that three-host
the study were more likely to use
CLP abundance decreased as sea temper-
transmission strategies that shield them
atures rose, whereas directly transmitted
from warming temperatures than were
parasite abundance was largely stable, sug-
three-host CLPS.
gesting that
D) any advantages that the transmission
strategy used by three-host CLPs may
have conferred did not completely o!set
the negative e!ects of other temperature
driven factors on CLP abundance.

Prolonged exposure to anthropogenic noise 87

(sounds from human sources like tra”c or
Which choice most logically completes the text?
mining) can a!ect animals, as Debra M.
Shier and colleagues found in a 2012 study A) some studies of amphibians found larger
of Stephens kangaroo rats. Researchers con- e!ects of exposure to anthropogenic noise
ducted a meta-analysis of studies of how than some studies of mammals did.
such noise a!ects animals and found that,
for every study, relevant traits or behaviors B) the studies in the meta-analysis that
of the animals were observably di!erent be- examined mammals were more likely than
tween the exposed group and the otherwise those that examined amphibians to specify
similar but unexposed group. Although, on whether the observed e!ects were
average, studies of mammals showed larger detrimental.
di!erences than studies of amphibians did,
C) the di!erences that studies attribute to
for every class of animals examined, there
exposure to anthropogenic noise are likely
were individual studies showing di!erences
to be more pronounced for amphibians
well above the average for mammals. There-
than they are for mammals.
fore, the results of the meta-analysis suggest
that D) the di!erence found in the study conducted
by Debra M. Shier and colleagues was
likely larger than the average di!erence for
studies of Stephens kangaroo rats included
in the meta-analysis.

298
Liverpool Football Club won more than half 88
its home matches between 1947 and 2003,
Which choice most logically completes the text?
helping to distinguish the team as a top
British professional soccer club. Addition- A) been una!ected by the red clothing worn
ally, Liverpool, whose home uniform color by fans in the stadium.
is mainly red, was more successful in home
matches than was Oldham Athletic Associ- B) played more aggressively than they would
ation Football Club, whose home uniform have if their own uniforms were red.
color is not red. Research has shown that
C) been aware that-Liverpool’s uniform color
many people associate the color red with
a!ected their own performance.
power and dominance. Past experiences
with red objects such as stop signs can even D) been influenced by the color of Liverpool’s
cause people to respond to the color red uniforms.
with caution and hesitation. These find-
ings, if applicable in the context of athletic
competitions, could suggest that in matches
played at Liverpool’s home stadium, oppo-
nents may have

In November of 1989. Argentina liberalized 89

its stock market, meaning that it began
Which choice most logically completes the text?
allowing foreign individuals and businesses
to invest money in Argentinian companies. A) economists’ expectations about the e!ect
This was part of a wave of stock market of liberalization on investment were largely
liberalizations from the mid-1980s through correct.
the mid-1990s-Bangladesh in 1991, Nige-
ria in 1995, and so on. In an analysis of B) companies typically do not benefit from
economic data from 1976 to 1993, Ross liberalization until at least three years
Levine and Sara Zervos found that liberal- after liberalization occurs.
ization did not lead to enduring increases
C) investment growth is likely to be more
in investment in companies based countries
consistent in countries that liberalize than
that liberalized. Peter Blair Henry, how-
in countries that do not.
ever, found that, on average, investment in
companies in liberalized countries increased D) liberalization may provide a boost to
significantly in the three years following investment that fades over time.
liberalization. Taken together, these results
suggest that

299
Data collected by the Mars rover Curios- 90
ity at the Gale Crater’s Murray Formation
Which choice most logically completes the text?
are suggestive of hydrological deposition of
sediment in the distant past. To charac- A) although the area of the Murray Formation
terize the nature of the depositional envi- experienced a prolonged period of dryness
ronment, Frances Rivera-Hernández et al. that prevented a lake from forming, water
analyzed the grain size of Murray Forma- flowing from a distant source was present.
tion sediment, finding that although there
are intervals of coarse grains, most of the B) a lake existed at the Murray Formation for
sediment consists of fine grains that show a prolonged period, though the lake
signs of cracking due to episodic desiccation. occasionally experienced drying and there
Rivera-Hernández et al concluded that the were periods in which one or more streams
coarse grains are sandstone, which tends to were present.
be deposited by flowing water, whereas the
C) one or more streams existed at the Murray
fine grains are mudstone, which is slowly
Formation for an extended period until
deposited by settling out of suspension in
being replaced by a lake that persisted for
low- flow water, leading the researchers to
only a brief period before permanently
posit that
drying.
D) a stream-fed lake was present at the
Murray Formation for an extended period,
and although the streams experienced
occasional drying, the lake did not.

Although the language of the Olmec civ- 91

ilization, which flourished in southern
Which choice most logically completes the text?
Mexico circa 1500 BCE-400 BCE, hasn’t
been identified, it likely belonged to the A) Isthmus Mixe and the other languages of
Mixe-Zoquean family, a group of related the Mixe branch likely supplanted the
languages whose present-day representa- languages of the Zoque branch sometime
tives are spoken in an area corresponding before 1500 BCE.
to ancient Olmec sites. The family can be
subdivided into a Zoque branch, which in- B) the Mixe-Zoquean family had already
cludes Copainalá Zoque, and a Mixe branch, diverged into the Mixe and Zoque
which includes Isthmus Mixe. Many words branches by the time the Olmecs became
in the Mayan languages – languages spoken the prevailing power in the region.
in the region but otherwise unrelated to the
C) the language of the Olmec civilization
Mixe-Zoquean family – are Mixe-Zoquean
contributed words not only to Mayan
in origin and were likely borrowed during
languages but also to other languages in
the period when the Olmecs dominated
the Mixe-Zoquean family.
the entire area. Tellingly, all those words
derive from the Zoque branch, suggesting D) the language of the Olmec civilization was
that likely the founding language of the family
that includes Mayan languages.

300
Austria, which, according to international 92
indices, has relatively strong democratic
Which choice most logically completes the text?
institutions and low intranational income
inequality, experienced an inflation rate of A) factors other than the Austria’s political
2.08% in 2017, whereas Cameroon, which structure contributed to the country’s
shows the opposite pattern on such indices, inflation rate exceeding that of Cameroon
had an inflation rate of only 0.64% that in 2017.
year. Such a comparison may seem consis-
tent with the theoretical critique that by B) the 2017 di!erence between Austria’s
diluting control over the economy, demo- inflation rate and Cameroon’s inflation
cratic institutions inhibit states’ ability rate is primarily but not exclusively
to counteract inflationary pressures, but attributable to the di!erent levels of
when Raj Desai et al. examined democratic intranational income inequality in the two
strength, intranational inequality, and infla- countries.
tion in more than 100 countries, they found
C) international indices may have
that democratic strength, if associated with
underestimated the strength of the
low inequality, restrains inflationary pres-
Austria’s democratic institutions relative
sures, which would suggest that
to Cameroon’s.
D) inflation in the Austria in 2017 would have
been higher if the Austria’s government
had less control over the economy.

In the early 19th century, ships in the 93

British Royal Navy were ranked based
Which choice most logically completes the text?
on military strength. The system considered
the number of a ship’s cannons and decks. A) not all ships with three decks were ranked
’First-rate’ was the highest ranking, and as first-rate ships.
’sixth-rate’ was the lowest ranking, followed
by unranked ships. This ranking determined B) all ships with at least 98 cannons were
the size of a ship’s crew: first-rate ships ranked as first-rate ships.
had between 850 and 875 crewmen, while
C) the Dreadnought had between 850 and 875
lower-ranked ships had fewer. Two of the
crewmen.
ships in the British Royal Navy from this
period were the Dreadnought (98 cannons D) the Caledonia needed a crew larger than
and three decks) and the Caledonia (120 875 people in order to operate e”ciently.
cannons and three decks). Of these two,
only the Caledonia was ranked a first rate
ship. It can therefore be concluded that

301
Research such as the 2010 study of arthro- 94
pods by Advin Yim-Hol Chan and col-
Which choice most logically completes the text?
leagues has shown that noise from human
activity, like tra”c on a busy highway, has A) the measures aimed at protecting birds
significant e!ects on animals, and many will likely also minimize most of the e!ects
governments require studies of the potential on arthropods.
noise e!ects on wildlife before approving
highway construction projects. A report on B) the severity of the e!ects of noise on
one such study proposed many more actions di!erent species of birds can di!er
to mitigate the e!ects on birds in the area significantly.
than it did to mitigate the e!ects on arthro-
C) the e!ects of noise on birds have been less
pods in the area. Despite the lack of focus
extensively documented than the e!ects on
on measures specifically for arthropods,
arthropods have.
conservationists were satisfied that the pro-
posed mitigations were su”cient to protect D) the measures intended to protect birds can
all the wildlife in the area because sometimes have adverse e!ects on
arthropods.

Mariana Lopes Barata and Pedro Simoes 95

Coelho collected data from 324 music-
Which choice most logically completes the text?
streaming service users to identify factors
that influence users to opt for paid (pre- A) users’ intentions to pay for premium
mium) versions of music streaming services, streaming services are probably una!ected
like Spotify. They hypothesized that per- by factors other than performance
formance expectancy (how much the use expectancy.
of a service is perceived to benefit the con-
sumer) would be positively correlated with B) participants who strongly agreed with the
users’ intentions to adopt premium versions. statement “Overall, a paid music
The researchers asked participants to rate streaming service is advantageous” were
statements such as “Overall, a paid music more likely to express loyalty to Spotify
streaming service is advantageous.” They than to other streaming services.
found that, indeed, performance expectancy
C) the statement “Overall, a paid music
positively influences the intention to adopt
streaming service is advantageous” is not a
premium streaming service versions, which
reliable measure of performance
suggests that
expectancy.
D) it may be advantageous for music
streaming companies to try to influence
the extent to which potential users
perceive the use of the premium version to
be beneficial.

302
The olona shrub is one of many forest plant 96
species native to Oahu (a Hawaiian island)
Which choice most logically completes the text?
that are at risk of extinction. The survival
of most of these species in the wild largely A) are dropping higher numbers of native
depends on birds eating their fruits and forest plant seeds around the island than
then dropping the seeds in di!erent loca- native bird species did in the past.
tions. Although Oahu’s native fruit-eating
birds have all gone extinct, the common B) show significantly more interest in eating
waxbill and other fruit eating bird species the fruits of native forest plants than in
have been introduced to the island and eating the fruits of non-native ones.
are now common there. Studies confirm
C) may be necessary for the continued
that these non-native birds are spreading
survival of vulnerable forest plant species,
plant seeds on Oahu, suggesting that the
such as the olona shrub.
birds
D) may also engage in other activities that
a!ect the ability of olona shrubs and other
vulnerable forest plants to continue to
spread to new areas.

Many studies have found a positive asso- 97

ciation between levels of dissolved organic
Which choice most logically completes the text?
carbon and mercury in bodies of fresh water
in North America. But Petri Porvari and A) the hypothesis that the positive association
Matti Verta did not find this correlation in is particular to North America is correct.
a study conducted in Finland, leading some
scientists to hypothesize that the association B) levels of dissolved organic carbon and
is particular to North America. However, mercury in bodies of fresh water are both
several other studies conducted outside much higher in Finland than elsewhere.
North America, such as one by Sara M.
C) there were circumstances unique to
Ekström and colleagues in Sweden, showed
Ekström and colleagues’ study that
similar results to the North American stud-
impeded accurate measurements of
ies, while few have produced results similar
mercury levels.
to those of Porvari and Verta’s study, sug-
gesting that D) dissolved organic carbon and mercury
levels do typically rise and fall together in
fresh water.

303
Chelsea Wood et al. tracked temperature- 98
driven changes in the abundance of Anisakis
Which choice most logically completes the text?
sp. (a complex life cycle parasite, or CLP,
that requires three host species throughout A) any advantages that the transmission
its life cycle), Gyrodactylus sp. (a directly strategy used by three-host CLPs may
transmitted parasite, which requires only have conferred did not completely o!set
one host species), and 83 other parasite taxa the negative e!ects of other
found on eight fish species. CLPs are trans- temperature-driven factors on CLP
mitted when an infected host is ingested by abundance.
an individual of another species, typically
shielding CLPs from the external environ- B) CLPs primarily transmitted by ingestion
ment, whereas directly transmitted parasites were less dependent on host species
are exposed to external conditions during adversely a!ected by warming
transmission. However. Wood et al. found temperatures than were CLPs that use
that three-host CLP abundance decreased other transmission strategies.
as sea temperatures rose, whereas directly
C) as the number of host species involved in a
transmitted parasite abundance was largely
parasite’s transmission increases, the
stable, suggesting that
parasite is better protected against rising
temperatures.
D) directly transmitted parasites identified in
the study were more likely to use
transmission strategies that shield them
from warming temperatures than were
three-host CLPs.

Prolonged exposure to anthropogenic noise 99

(sounds from human sources like tra”c or
Which choice most logically completes the text?
mining) can a!ect animals, as Amy Morris-
Drake and colleagues found in a 2017 study A) the studies in the meta-analysis that
of dwarf mongooses. Researchers conducted examined mammals were more likely than
a meta-analysis of studies of how such noise those that examined birds to specify
a!ects animals and found that, for every whether the observed e!ects were
study, relevant traits or behaviors of the detrimental.
animals were observably di!erent between
the exposed group and the otherwise sim- B) the di!erences that studies attribute to
ilar but unexposed group. Although, on exposure to anthropogenic noise are likely
average, studies of mammals showed larger to be more pronounced for birds than they
di!erences than studies of birds did, for are for mammals.
every class of animals examined, there were
C) the di!erence found in the study
individual studies showing di!erences well
conducted by Amy Morris-Drake and
above the average for mammals. Therefore,
colleagues was likely larger than the
the results of the meta-analysis suggest
average di!erence for studies of dwarf
that
mongooses included in the meta-analysis.
D) some studies of birds found larger e!ects of
exposure to anthropogenic noise than some
studies of mammals did.

304
Studies conducted in individual Western 100
societies have demonstrated associations
Which choice most logically completes the text?
between personality traits and five musi-
cal factors (mellowness, unpretentiousness, A) the five-factor framework can likely be
sophistication, intensity, and contempo- used to predict preferences for
rariness) underlying individual preferences non-Western music styles based on
for styles of Western music. To investigate personality traits even if the characteristics
these associations across cultures, David M. of those styles substantially di!er from
Greenberg et al. collected music-preference characteristics of Western music styles.
assessments for Western genres and self-
reported personality traits from participants B) the strength of the relationship between
in fifty-three corn countries across six con- personality traits and musical preferences
tinents. The study confirmed that the varies less across cultures than researchers
five-factor framework accurately captured had previously assumed.
participants’ tastes in Western music, and,
C) people with a relatively high degree of
moreover, the study found similar correla-
familiarity with Western music styles are
tions between patterns of these factors and
likely to express stronger preferences for
of personality traits, suggesting that
those styles than people with a relatively
low degree of familiarity with those styles
are.
D) across cultural contexts, people who share
similar profiles of personality traits tend to
prefer listening to similar types of [not
complete]

The oceanic whitetip shark and the Pacific 101

halibut are ectothermic (cold- blooded) fish,
Which choice most logically completes the text?
whereas the shortfin mako shark and the
yellowfin tuna are regional endotherms-they A) yellowfin tuna and the shortfin mako shark
retain metabolic heat resulting in body are likely to be more variable than the
temperatures above the ambient water tem- body temperature of the basking shark.
perature. Modeling the e!ect of falling am-
bient temperatures on ectotherms indicated B) Pacific halibut and the basking shark are
to researchers Haley R. Dolton and col- at least partly determined by the ambient
leagues that ectotherms’ body temperatures water temperature.
inexorably decrease toward the ambient
C) basking shark and the shortfin mako shark
temperature. Data from wild basking sharks
remain fixed even as ambient water
show that even though their body tempera-
temperature changes, while the body
ture consistently remains 1.0 to 1.5°C above
temperature of the Pacific halibut changes
ambient, it also declines as the ambient
with variations in the ambient water
temperature falls. This suggests that the
temperature.
body temperatures of the
D) basking shark and the yellowfin tuna
remain fixed even if the ambient water
temperature changes, while the body
temperature of the oceanic whitetip shark
varies even if the ambient temperature is
stable.

305
Humans have a very strong bias toward 102
right-handedness, with approximately 85-
Which choice most logically completes the text?
90% having right as their dominant hand.
Among studies of nonhuman primates, A) the apparent di!erence between the two
James Welles’s 1976 study of captive chim- studies’ results may be partly attributable
panzees and catarrhine monkeys reported to the 1976 study using a di!erent
more right-handed individuals than left- standard to determine handedness than
handed ones, but William C. McGrew the 1999 study did.
and colleagues’ 1999 study of wild chim-
panzees did not find a tendency toward B) the right-handedness exhibited by the
right-handedness. It’s important to note, captive chimpanzees and catarrhine
however, that captive animals spend signif- monkeys might be, in part, an e!ect of
icantly more time with humans than wild extended contact with humans.
animals do, and therefore
C) the number of individuals in the study of
captive chimpanzees and catarrhine
monkeys is likely too small to support the
claim that the species tends toward
right-handedness.
D) the number of individuals in the study of
wild chimpanzees is probably too small to
support the claim that no tendency toward
right handedness was found in that
population.

Arthurian legends (tales related to the char- 103

acter of King Arthur) derive from many
Which choice most logically completes the text?
often contradictory sources, such as An-
nales Cambriae, composed around 970, A) when a version of an Arthurian legend
and Tom a Lincoln from around 1607. Sir contradicted the version in History, Malory
Thomas Malory’s 15th-century text Le preferred to include Geo!rey of
Morte d’Arthur was an attempt to com- Monmouth’s version in Le Morte d’Arthur.
pile these stories into a coherent narrative.
Many of Malory’s sources derive from Geof- B) Le Morte d’Arthur is more historically
frey of Monmouth’s History of the Kings of accurate than History, because Tom a
Britain, written in the 1130s. While neither Lincoln had not been written when
History nor any works that predate it men- Geo!rey of Monmouth was writing his
tion Arthur’s famous Round Table at which work.
his knights assembled, Le Morte d’Arthur
C) Geo!rey of Monmouth’s accounts of
does, suggesting that
Arthurian legends in History are more
similar overall in content to the accounts
in Tom a Lincoln than they are to the
accounts in Le Morte d’Arthur.
D) Malory encountered the Round Table in a
source that Geo!rey of Monmouth was not
familiar with when writing his History.

306
Prolonged exposure to anthropogenic noise 104
(sounds from human sources like tra”c or
Which choice most logically completes the text?
mining) can a!ect animals, as Kirsty Eliz-
abeth McLaughlin and Hansjoerg P. Kunc A) the studies in the meta-analysis that
found in a 2015 study of zebra cichlids. examined fish were more likely than those
Researchers conducted a meta-analysis of that examined birds to specify whether the
studies of how such noise a!ects animals observed e!ects were detrimental.
and found that. for every study, relevant
traits or behaviors of the animals were B) the di!erence found in the study conducted
observably di!erent between the exposed by Kirsty Elizabeth McLaughlin and
group and the otherwise similar but unex- Hansjoerg P. Kunc was likely larger than
posed group. Although, on average, studies the average di!erence for studies of zebra
of fish showed larger di!erences than studies cichlids included in the meta-analysis.
of birds did, for every class of animals exam-
C) some studies of birds found larger e!ects of
ined, there were individual studies showing
exposure to anthropogenic noise than some
di!erences well above the average for fish.
studies of fish did.
Therefore, the results of the meta-analysis
suggest that D) the di!erences that studies attribute to
exposure to anthropogenic noise are likely
to be more pronounced for birds than they
are for fish.

The musical Hadestown was produced o!- 105

Broadway in New York in 2016. A revised
Which choice most logically completes the text?
version of the musical premiered on Broad-
way in 2019, in a larger production. In a A) Hadestown improved greatly between 2016
review of the Broadway production, theater and its premiere on Broadway.
critic Jesse Green enthusiastically praised
the musical’s storytelling. However, Green B) the 2016 version of Hadestown had fewer
also explained that he had seen the earlier storytelling problems than the 2019
version of Hadestown in 2016 and had found version did.
the storytelling to be very confusing. This
C) Hadestown should have had a larger
suggests that in Green’s view,
production in 2019 than it actually did.
D) the 2019 version of Hadestown was less
enjoyable than the 2016 version

Biochemists I. Sam Saguy and Eli J. 106

Pinthus studied the mass and heat transfer
Which choice most logically completes the text?
processes that occur when foods, such as the
Indian snacks makka poha and shankarpali, A) the less the fat content is increased
are fried in oil. During frying, water in the through frying.
crust evaporates, leaving voids that oil can
fill, thereby increasing the food’s fat con- B) the higher the temperature must be to fry
tent. As the process continues, water from the food.
the food’s center moves to the crust as long
C) the slower the crust will lose its
as the crust remains permeable. Therefore,
permeability.
the less moisture a food loses during frying,
D) the crispier the crust will be when frying is
completed

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To address the susceptibility of materials 107
used in components of high- performance
Which choice most logically completes the text?
machinery, such as aircraft engines, to creep
(deformation that is induced by persistent A) unlike the two polymer-derived SiC fibers,
mechanical stress and that often occurs the nitrogen-treated SiC fiber can
at elevated temperatures), materials re- substantially inhibit creep, provided that
searchers have developed silicon carbide temperatures and loads are consistent.
(SiC) fibers for producing aerospace com-
posites. Testing the thermomechanical B) aerospace composites containing t the
properties of several commercially available nitrogen-treated SiC fiber may have the
SiC fibers, Ramakrishna T. Bhatt et al. ability to withstand mechanical stress for a
found that in comparison with two polymer- longer period of time than can aerospace
derived SiC fibers, a nitrogen-treated SiC composites containing either of the two
fiber which a stress! exhibited a lower min- polymer-derived SiC fibers.
imum creep rate, a measure of the rate at
C) composites based on the two
which a stress- exposed material deforms at
polymer-derived SiC fibers have chemical
a constant temperature and uniaxial load.
properties that may improve the
The finding suggests that
mechanical and thermal stability of
aerospace equipment to a greater extent
than do composites based on the
nitrogen-treated SiC fiber.
D) the two polymer-derived SiC fibers likely
hold similar potential for reducing the
creep resistance of materials exposed to
stress and elevated temperatures, thus
prolonging the life span of aerospace
machinery.

308