SAT OwlQuestion bank / Central Ideas and Details
In winter, the wood frog of North America does something that would kill most animals: it freezes. Ice forms in the spaces between its cells and in its body cavity, its heart stops beating, and it stops breathing. Yet the frog survives. As ice begins to form on its skin, its liver releases large amounts of glucose, a sugar, into its blood. The glucose collects inside the frog's cells, where it keeps the cells from losing too much water and shriveling as ice forms around them. When spring arrives, the frog thaws, and its heart starts again.
According to the text, what is the role of glucose in the wood frog's survival?
It warms the frog's body enough to keep its heart beating slowly through the coldest part of winter.
It prevents any ice from forming in the frog's body.
It protects the frog's cells from losing too much water while ice forms around them.
It provides the energy the frog needs to thaw in the spring.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C
The fifth sentence says the glucose collects inside the cells, "where it keeps the cells from losing too much water and shriveling as ice forms around them." Choice C restates this.
Choice B overstates the glucose's role. The text says ice does form between the cells and in the body cavity; the glucose protects the cells while that happens.
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. The text says the frog's heart stops beating, so glucose does not keep it going.
- B. Ice does form between the cells and in the body cavity. Glucose protects the cells while that ice forms.
- D. The text never links glucose to thawing. It describes glucose protecting cells during freezing.
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