SAT Reading & Writing · Command of Evidence (quantitative)
A conservation team counted nests of a shorebird before and after closing one section of beach to vehicles during nesting season.
A conservation team counted nests of a shorebird before and after closing one section of beach to vehicles during nesting season.
| Year | Vehicle closure? | Active nests |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | No | 32 |
| Year 2 | Yes | 47 |
Which choice most effectively uses the data while avoiding an overclaim?
| Year | Vehicle closure? | Active nests |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | No | 32 |
| Year 2 | Yes | 47 |
Which choice most effectively uses the data while avoiding an overclaim?
Answer and explanation
Answer: A: The number of active nests was 15 higher in the closure year, although the table alone cannot establish that the closure caused the increase.
The prompt calls for using the data while avoiding an overclaim, and A does exactly that: it reports the actual 15-nest increase while explicitly noting the table alone cannot establish that the closure caused it. B asserts a specific causal number the data cannot support. C and D each overstate the finding into an absolute claim about every shorebird or a complete absence of any relationship, neither of which the data can establish.
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