What did the researchers compare in the experiment?
Researchers who study memory have long suspected that sleep plays an active role in learning. In one experiment, two groups of students learned a list of word pairs in the evening. One group slept normally, while the other stayed awake all night. Two days later, both groups were tested after they had recovered. The students who had slept recalled noticeably more word pairs. The researchers concluded that sleep helps the brain to stabilise new information, although they warned that the sample was small and that further studies would be needed before firm advice could be given to students preparing for examinations.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. Students who slept after learning with students who stayed awake.
- Step 1: The passage says one group slept normally and the other stayed awake all night after learning. Step 2. That is the comparison made. Answer: Students who slept after learning with students who stayed awake. Why not the others: The learning time was the same evening for both groups; only word pairs were used; recovery was equal for all and was not the variable.
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