16Hit1600
Information and IdeasVery hardInference about what would test a causal claim

Information and Ideas practice question

In a trial of a new reading programme, schools volunteered to take part, and the schools that volunteered already had higher average reading scores than those that declined. After a year, scores at the participating schools had risen more than scores at the others. Before crediting the programme, a careful analyst would want to know whether ____

Which choice most logically completes the text?

  1. A. the participating schools' scores had already been rising faster than the others' before the programme began.Correct
  2. B. the programme was expensive to run.
  3. C. the non-participating schools had heard about the programme.
  4. D. reading scores can be measured accurately at all.

Answer: A. the participating schools' scores had already been rising faster than the others' before the programme began.

The volunteers were different from the start. If their scores were already climbing faster, the year's gain might have happened without the programme. That is exactly what a careful analyst would check.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. the programme was expensive to run.
Cost matters for adopting a programme, not for judging whether it caused the gain.
C. the non-participating schools had heard about the programme.
Whether other schools had heard of it has no bearing on the participating schools' scores.
D. reading scores can be measured accurately at all.
The text's concern is the comparison between groups, not measurement in general.

More Information and Ideas questions

Not affiliated with the College Board. SAT is a trademark of the College Board.