SAT #17 Reading (Question 12)

Question

Over the course of the passage, the main focus shifts from [...]?

Answer 1

Answer Choice B is the correct answer because the first two paragraphs (Lines 1-14) introduce the phenomenon of the “illusion of explanatory depth,” the next five paragraphs (Lines 15-62) discuss two experiments related to that phenomenon, and the last paragraph (Lines 69-78) suggests a possibility at mitigating the effects of that phenomenon. This breakdown reflects the best way at dividing the Passage into parts, and most clearly matches Answer Choice B which says that focus of the passage shifts from “an introduction of a phenomenon, to a description of experiments concerning that phenomenon, and then to a recommendation based on the results of the experiments.” Answer Choice A is incorrect because the Passage doesn’t specifically characterize the bias it explores as a “long-standing problem,” and doesn’t discuss previous attempts at addressing that bias. Answer Choice C is incorrect because the Passage doesn’t discuss competing theories for a behavior, doesn’t attempt to determine which of those two theories is correct and doesn’t explore the future of any academic field. Answer Choice D is incorrect because the Passage contains two experiments not mentioned in this description and because it doesn’t end with a proposal for further research.