SAT OwlQuestion bank / Cross-Text Connections
Text 1: Psychologists have traditionally viewed boredom as a purely negative state. Studies have linked it to poor performance at school and work and to risky behavior as people seek relief from it. On this view, boredom is a problem to be prevented.
Text 2: Psychologist Helen Marsh asked one group of participants to spend fifteen minutes copying numbers from a phone directory before a creativity task in which they listed as many uses as they could for a pair of plastic cups. These participants came up with more ideas than a group that skipped the dull copying. Marsh suggests that boredom can push the mind to wander in search of stimulation, which can lead to new ideas.
Based on the texts, how would Marsh most likely respond to the traditional view described in Text 1?
She would argue that boredom is always more helpful than harmful.
She would agree that boredom should be prevented whenever possible.
She would claim that bored people are less likely than others to take risks.
She would suggest that the view is incomplete because boredom can also have benefits.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D
Text 1 calls boredom "purely negative." Marsh's study found that bored participants produced more creative ideas, and she suggests boredom can lead to new ideas. She would say the traditional view leaves out a possible upside, choice D.
Choice A overstates Marsh's position: her study shows one benefit of boredom, not that boredom is always more helpful than harmful.
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. This choice overstates Marsh's position. Her study shows boredom can have one specific benefit, not that it is always more helpful than harmful.
- B. This contradicts Marsh's findings. She suggests boredom can lead to new ideas, so she would not agree it should always be prevented.
- C. This misrepresents the text. Text 1 links boredom to risky behavior, and Marsh's study focuses on creativity, not risk-taking.
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