SAT OwlQuestion bank / Cross-Text Connections
Text 1: Many people believe that goldfish have memories that last only a few seconds. This belief has made the goldfish a common symbol of forgetfulness.
Text 2: Researchers have trained goldfish to push a lever for food at a particular time of day and to respond to specific sounds. In some experiments, goldfish remembered what they had learned for months.
Based on the texts, how would the researchers in Text 2 most likely respond to the belief described in Text 1?
By pointing out that goldfish can remember learned behaviors for long periods
By agreeing that goldfish forget everything within a few seconds
By claiming that goldfish remember sounds but not times of day
By arguing that goldfish are more intelligent than other fish
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A
Text 1 says goldfish remember for only seconds. Text 2 describes goldfish remembering trained behaviors for months. The researchers would say the belief is wrong because goldfish memory lasts far longer, choice A.
Choice D goes beyond Text 2, which never compares goldfish with other fish.
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