SAT OwlQuestion bank / Command of Evidence
| Text length | Average score, paper readers (%) | Average score, screen readers (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Short (under 500 words) | 82 | 81 |
| Medium (500 to 1,500 words) | 78 | 72 |
| Long (over 1,500 words) | 74 | 63 |
Educational psychologist Mira Solberg had students read texts of different lengths either on paper or on a screen and then answer comprehension questions. Solberg argues that reading on screens is not harmful in itself but that its drawbacks grow as reading tasks become more demanding.
Which choice most effectively uses data from the table to support Solberg's argument?
For long texts, students reading on paper scored 74 percent on average, while students reading on screens scored 63 percent.
Students reading short texts scored about the same on paper and on screens (82 and 81 percent), but for long texts the gap widened to 74 percent versus 63 percent.
Students reading on paper scored lower on long texts (74 percent) than on short texts (82 percent).
Students reading on screens scored 81 percent on short texts, 72 percent on medium texts, and 63 percent on long texts.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
Solberg's argument has two parts: screens aren't harmful in themselves, and their drawbacks grow with harder tasks. Choice B shows almost no gap for short texts (82 versus 81) and a large gap for long texts (74 versus 63), which supports both parts.
Choice D shows screen scores falling as texts get longer, but paper scores fall too, so without them the choice doesn't show a growing screen disadvantage.
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. This shows a gap for long texts but not the near tie for short texts, so it can't show the drawback growing.
- C. This uses only paper scores, so it says nothing about reading on screens.
- D. Screen scores fall with length, but so do paper scores. Without the comparison, this doesn't show a growing screen disadvantage.
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