Information and IdeasVery hardInference from a mismatch between test and field
Information and Ideas practice question
In laboratory tests, the new fire-resistant coating protected timber for 40 minutes, twice as long as the old coating. In a survey of buildings after a wildfire, however, structures with the new coating fared no better than those with the old. Investigators note that the coating must be reapplied every two years and that most owners had not done so. This suggests that ____
Which choice most logically completes the text?
- A. the coating's real-world benefit depends on maintenance that most owners neglected.Correct
- B. the laboratory tests were falsified.
- C. the old coating is superior to the new one.
- D. wildfires cannot be resisted by any coating.
Answer: A. the coating's real-world benefit depends on maintenance that most owners neglected.
Lab success, field failure, and an unmet maintenance requirement: the maintenance gap explains the gap.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. the laboratory tests were falsified.
- Nothing in the text questions the tests' honesty.
- C. the old coating is superior to the new one.
- The new coating fared no worse, and the lab showed it better when maintained.
- D. wildfires cannot be resisted by any coating.
- The lab tests show coatings do help.
More Information and Ideas questions
- Very hard
Which choice best states the main idea of the text? - Very hard
Which choice best states the main idea of the text? - Very hard
Which choice best uses the data to support the claim that Coating B better resists rust? - Very hard
Which choice most logically completes the text with a conclusion the evidence supports? - Very hard
Which choice most logically completes the text? - Very hard
Which choice most logically completes the text?
Not affiliated with the College Board. SAT is a trademark of the College Board.