Passage
(1) Calling someone a rat may be complimentary (2) In one experiment, University of Chicago neuroscientist Peggy Mason placed 30 pairs of rats in pens. (3) One rat was caged in the middle of the pen, while the other was free to run around. (4) Eventually, 23 of 30 rats liberated their peers by pushing the cage door open with their heads or leaning against the door until it tipped over.
(5) In another experiment, Mason gave rats access to two cages: in one cage was another rat, in the other was a pile of chocolate chips. (6) The rats eating the chocolate themselves (7) Instead, most of the rodents opened both cages and shared the sweets (8) "In rat land, that is big." Mason says, claiming that this study is the first to show altruistic behavior in rodents.
(9) Not all scientists agree with the conclusion Mason drew from the experiment, however (10) The jailbreaking rats might have only been trying to silence their cohorts' distressing alarm calls (11) Mason counters that the alarm calls from the caged rats were not frequent enough to motivate their peers, but both parties are speculating at this point.
(12) Mason's new study is one of many that are changing how scientists think about empathy and altruism, namely that such characteristics are not limited to people, as they once thought. (13) It now seems that many animals have evolved instincts to help others.
In context, adjusting capitalization as needed, which of the following would most appropriately be inserted at the beginning of sentence 10 (reproduced below)?
The jailbreaking rats might have only been trying to silence their cohorts' distressing alarm calls
It is true that:
- A. It is true that
- B. They point out that
- C. They claim it is obvious that
- D. It appears that
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: B
Option B, "They point out that," effectively introduces the sentence by indicating that a specific viewpoint or observation is being made about the jailbreaking rats' behavior. This phrasing suggests a direct reference to a previous argument or evidence, enhancing the clarity of the statement. Option A, "It is true that," is too vague and does not connect to any preceding discussion, making it less effective. Option C, "They claim it is obvious that," implies a level of certainty that may not be warranted, potentially misrepresenting the argument's intent. Option D, "It appears that," introduces ambiguity and weakens the assertiveness needed in this context, making it less suitable than option B.
Option B, "They point out that," effectively introduces the sentence by indicating that a specific viewpoint or observation is being made about the jailbreaking rats' behavior. This phrasing suggests a direct reference to a previous argument or evidence, enhancing the clarity of the statement. Option A, "It is true that," is too vague and does not connect to any preceding discussion, making it less effective. Option C, "They claim it is obvious that," implies a level of certainty that may not be warranted, potentially misrepresenting the argument's intent. Option D, "It appears that," introduces ambiguity and weakens the assertiveness needed in this context, making it less suitable than option B.
Other Related Questions
In context, which of the following is best to do with sentence 9 (reproduced below)?
They say we could save a great deal of energy by addressing the problem of food waste.
- A. Replace 'They say' with 'Researchers assert that'
- B. Insert 'probably' before 'save'
- C. Replace 'by addressing' with 'if we would address'
- D. Replace 'problem' with 'problems'
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
Option A enhances the sentence's credibility by specifying the source of the claim, making it more authoritative. "Researchers assert that" clearly indicates that the statement is based on scientific findings, which is essential for persuasive writing. Option B weakens the statement by introducing uncertainty with "probably," which diminishes the impact of the claim about energy savings. Option C changes the meaning by suggesting a conditional scenario rather than a straightforward assertion, which can confuse the reader. Option D alters the focus from a specific issue to a broader context, which may dilute the intended message about food waste.
Option A enhances the sentence's credibility by specifying the source of the claim, making it more authoritative. "Researchers assert that" clearly indicates that the statement is based on scientific findings, which is essential for persuasive writing. Option B weakens the statement by introducing uncertainty with "probably," which diminishes the impact of the claim about energy savings. Option C changes the meaning by suggesting a conditional scenario rather than a straightforward assertion, which can confuse the reader. Option D alters the focus from a specific issue to a broader context, which may dilute the intended message about food waste.
In context, which choice best replaces the underlined portion in sentence 14 (reproduced below)? Being able to meet others who speak Spanish has definitely helped me
- A. made the city feel more like home
- B. given me the chance to practice.
- C. made the city sort of tolerable.
- D. been a nice surprise.
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: A
Option A effectively conveys that meeting Spanish speakers contributes positively to the speaker's sense of belonging in the city, enhancing their overall experience. This aligns with the context of feeling at home. Option B, while relevant, shifts focus to practicing the language rather than the emotional impact of community. Option C undermines the positive sentiment by suggesting the city is merely "tolerable," which diminishes the overall message. Option D, although it introduces a positive element, lacks the depth of connection implied by feeling at home, making it less suitable in this context.
Option A effectively conveys that meeting Spanish speakers contributes positively to the speaker's sense of belonging in the city, enhancing their overall experience. This aligns with the context of feeling at home. Option B, while relevant, shifts focus to practicing the language rather than the emotional impact of community. Option C undermines the positive sentiment by suggesting the city is merely "tolerable," which diminishes the overall message. Option D, although it introduces a positive element, lacks the depth of connection implied by feeling at home, making it less suitable in this context.
In the context of the passage, what sentence should be inserted immediately after sentence 11 (reproduced below)? Mason counters that the alarm calls from the caged rats were not frequent enough to motivate their peers, but both parties are speculating at this point.
- A. No one will ever really know why rats do what they do
- B. Mason is probably biased anyway because it was her experiment.
- C. More research must be done to arrive at an answer.
- D. Some scientists will complain no matter what
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C
Inserting "More research must be done to arrive at an answer" after sentence 11 effectively emphasizes the ongoing debate and the need for further investigation into the behaviors of rats. This aligns with the speculative tone of the discussion. Option A, while true, does not contribute to the dialogue about the necessity of additional research. Option B introduces bias but distracts from the main focus on research requirements. Option D generalizes scientists' behavior without addressing the specific context of Mason's argument, making it less relevant to the passage's intent.
Inserting "More research must be done to arrive at an answer" after sentence 11 effectively emphasizes the ongoing debate and the need for further investigation into the behaviors of rats. This aligns with the speculative tone of the discussion. Option A, while true, does not contribute to the dialogue about the necessity of additional research. Option B introduces bias but distracts from the main focus on research requirements. Option D generalizes scientists' behavior without addressing the specific context of Mason's argument, making it less relevant to the passage's intent.
Where would the following sentence best fit in the passage? The results of two new experiments suggest that rats are surprisingly selfless.
- A. After sentence 1
- B. After sentence 3
- C. After sentence 8
- D. After sentence 11
Correct Answer & Rationale
Correct Answer: C
Placing the sentence after sentence 8 effectively introduces the new findings about rats, enhancing the flow of information regarding their behavior. This position allows for a natural transition into discussing the implications of these experiments. Option A is too early in the passage, as it lacks context for the experiments. Option B, following sentence 3, interrupts the narrative progression and does not align with the preceding content. Option D, after sentence 11, is too late, as it would disrupt the conclusion by introducing new information that should precede it. Thus, option C is the most logical placement.
Placing the sentence after sentence 8 effectively introduces the new findings about rats, enhancing the flow of information regarding their behavior. This position allows for a natural transition into discussing the implications of these experiments. Option A is too early in the passage, as it lacks context for the experiments. Option B, following sentence 3, interrupts the narrative progression and does not align with the preceding content. Option D, after sentence 11, is too late, as it would disrupt the conclusion by introducing new information that should precede it. Thus, option C is the most logical placement.