SAT OwlQuestion bank / Command of Evidence
Biologist Kenji Watanabe hypothesizes that a species of desert lizard changes its skin color to regulate body temperature. According to his hypothesis, the lizards become darker in the cool morning to absorb more heat and lighter in the hot afternoon to reflect it.
Which finding, if true, would most directly support Watanabe's hypothesis?
The lizards eat mainly insects.
The lizards are darkest in the early morning and lightest during the hottest part of the afternoon.
Lizards of this species are all the same color when they hatch.
The lizards are lighter in color than lizards of other species.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
The hypothesis predicts a specific daily pattern: dark in the cool morning, light in the hot afternoon. Choice B reports exactly that pattern.
Choice D compares this species with others, but the hypothesis concerns how individual lizards change color during the day.
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