16Hit1600
Information and IdeasVery hardDetail: how a moth detects bats

Information and Ideas practice question

Some moths have ears that do almost nothing except listen for bats. Each ear has just two sensory cells, and the moth cannot tell one sound from another with them. What the cells register is the loudness of a bat's ultrasonic call: a faint call means a distant bat, and the moth turns away; a loud call means a bat close and closing, and the moth folds its wings and drops.

According to the text, how does a moth decide whether to turn away or to drop?

  1. A. By the loudness of the bat's call, which indicates how close the bat is.Correct
  2. B. By the pitch of the bat's call.
  3. C. By seeing the bat.
  4. D. By the direction the call comes from.

Answer: A. By the loudness of the bat's call, which indicates how close the bat is.

Faint means far, loud means near.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. By the pitch of the bat's call.
The cells cannot tell sounds apart.
C. By seeing the bat.
Sight is not mentioned.
D. By the direction the call comes from.
Direction is not mentioned.

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