Which statement would the researchers be most likely to agree with?

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: C. The evidence points to a link between sleep and memory but needs to be confirmed.

  1. Step 1: They concluded that sleep helps stabilise information but stressed the small sample. Step 2. So they would accept a likely link while asking for confirmation. Answer: The evidence points to a link between sleep and memory but needs to be confirmed. Why not the others: 'Proves' and 'only' overstate their cautious finding; exam timing is not discussed; the passage clearly links memory to the brain.

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