Comprehension
Although the hormone adrenaline is known to regulate memory storage, its effects on retrieval
are debated. Adrenaline’s modulation of retrieval is difficult to interpret because retrieval pro-
tocols usually involve new learning, which is known to be affected by adrenaline. Say, for
example, that researchers test the effect of adrenaline on participants’ ability to remember a
story. If participants are injected with adrenaline before being asked to recall the story, the
adrenaline might enhance or impair their recall performance not by affecting retrieval directly,
but rather by affecting their ability to learn the information presented in the retrieval protocol
(i.e., the researcher’s questions). To evaluate the hormone’s effect on retrieval without the
confounding effects of new learning, McGaugh and colleagues tested the effects of adrenaline on memory for intentionally forgotten information. Research has shown that when participants
are asked to memorize two lists (list 1 and list 2) and are then instructed to forget list 1,
they exhibit poorer recall of list 1 than do participants who are not instructed to forget it-a
phenomenon known as intentional forgetting. This phenomenon is attributed to retrieval inhi-
bition, a mechanism that makes the unwanted information less likely to be retrieved, whether
intentionally or unintentionally. McGaugh and colleagues reasoned that if adrenaline enhances
retrieval, it should reduce intentional forgetting. They hypothesized that participants given
adrenaline after being instructed to forget list 1 would recall more words from that list than
participants given a placebo. After participants memorized list 1, they were told to forget it
and memorize list 2. Immediately afterwards, they received an injection of either adrenaline
or a placebo and then completed a distractor task. Finally, they were asked to recall as many
words as possible from list 1. Adrenaline-treated participants did indeed recall significantly
more words from list 1 than placebo-treated participants, suggesting that adrenaline enhances
the retrieval of intentionally forgotten memories.
Question: 1
According to the passage, which of the following is a reason that researchers have found it difficult to interpret the effects of adrenaline on memory retrieval?
According to the passage, which of the following is a reason that researchers have found it difficult to interpret the effects of adrenaline on memory retrieval?
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For questions beginning with "According to the passage," the answer is almost always a direct restatement of a sentence from the text. Scan the passage for keywords from the question (like "difficult to interpret") to find the exact sentence containing the answer.
Updated On: Sep 30, 2025
- Adrenaline affects how information is encoded in memory but not how it is retrieved.
- Adrenaline facilitates retrieval in some situations but hinders it in others.
- Retrieval protocols typically involve the learning of new information.
- The effects of adrenaline on retrieval are temporary.
- The effects of adrenaline on retrieval cannot be easily separated from the effects of other hormones.
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The Correct Option is C
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This is a detail-retrieval question asking for specific information stated in the passage. We need to identify the reason given for the difficulty in studying adrenaline's effect on retrieval.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The passage directly addresses this in the second sentence: "Adrenaline's modulation of retrieval is difficult to interpret because retrieval protocols usually involve new learning, which is known to be affected by adrenaline." The problem is that the act of testing retrieval (e.g., asking questions) introduces new information that the participant learns, and since adrenaline affects learning, it confounds the results.
Let's analyze the options:
(A) The passage is about the difficulty of studying retrieval, not a statement that adrenaline doesn't affect it.
(B) The passage does not mention that adrenaline's effects are contradictory in different situations.
(C) This option is a direct paraphrase of the reason given in the passage. The involvement of "new learning" in retrieval protocols is the central problem.
(D) The passage does not discuss the duration of adrenaline's effects.
(E) The passage focuses on the confounding effect of new learning, not other hormones.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The passage explicitly states that the difficulty arises because retrieval tests often involve new learning. Therefore, option (C) is the correct answer.
This is a detail-retrieval question asking for specific information stated in the passage. We need to identify the reason given for the difficulty in studying adrenaline's effect on retrieval.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The passage directly addresses this in the second sentence: "Adrenaline's modulation of retrieval is difficult to interpret because retrieval protocols usually involve new learning, which is known to be affected by adrenaline." The problem is that the act of testing retrieval (e.g., asking questions) introduces new information that the participant learns, and since adrenaline affects learning, it confounds the results.
Let's analyze the options:
(A) The passage is about the difficulty of studying retrieval, not a statement that adrenaline doesn't affect it.
(B) The passage does not mention that adrenaline's effects are contradictory in different situations.
(C) This option is a direct paraphrase of the reason given in the passage. The involvement of "new learning" in retrieval protocols is the central problem.
(D) The passage does not discuss the duration of adrenaline's effects.
(E) The passage focuses on the confounding effect of new learning, not other hormones.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The passage explicitly states that the difficulty arises because retrieval tests often involve new learning. Therefore, option (C) is the correct answer.
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Question: 2
Which of the following best describes the function of the highlighted sentence ("This phenomenon ... unintentionally.")?
Which of the following best describes the function of the highlighted sentence ("This phenomenon ... unintentionally.")?
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When asked about the function of a sentence, consider its relationship to the sentences immediately before and after it. Ask yourself: "Does it provide a definition, an example, a cause, an effect, or a counterargument?"
Updated On: Sep 30, 2025
- It describes a phenomenon that adrenaline was expected to affect.
- It describes a phenomenon that researchers had previously misinterpreted.
- It explains why McGaugh and colleagues decided to study the effects of adrenaline on intentional forgetting.
(D) It explains why participants in the experiment were asked to memorize two different lists of words. - It explains a finding that appears to contradict the main conclusion of the passage.
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The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question asks for the rhetorical function of a specific sentence. We need to understand how this sentence fits into the overall argument of the passage.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The highlighted sentence, "This phenomenon is attributed to retrieval inhibition, a mechanism that makes the unwanted information less likely to be retrieved, whether intentionally or unintentionally," provides the scientific explanation for "intentional forgetting." The entire experiment by McGaugh and colleagues is designed around this concept. They reasoned that if adrenaline enhances retrieval, it should counteract retrieval inhibition and thus reduce intentional forgetting. Therefore, the sentence is describing the very mechanism (and the phenomenon it causes) that the experiment is designed to test the effects of adrenaline on.
Option (A) accurately captures this. The "phenomenon" (intentional forgetting, caused by retrieval inhibition) is what adrenaline was hypothesized to affect.
Option (B) is incorrect; there is no mention of a previous misinterpretation.
Option (C) is close but less precise. The sentence explains *what* intentional forgetting is, which is part of *why* they studied it, but its primary function is to define the target of the experiment.
Option (D) is incorrect; the sentence explains the mechanism of forgetting, not the reason for the experimental design of using two lists.
Option (E) is incorrect; the phenomenon does not contradict the main conclusion, it is central to it.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The sentence defines the phenomenon that is the target of the experiment's intervention, making option (A) the best description of its function.
This question asks for the rhetorical function of a specific sentence. We need to understand how this sentence fits into the overall argument of the passage.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The highlighted sentence, "This phenomenon is attributed to retrieval inhibition, a mechanism that makes the unwanted information less likely to be retrieved, whether intentionally or unintentionally," provides the scientific explanation for "intentional forgetting." The entire experiment by McGaugh and colleagues is designed around this concept. They reasoned that if adrenaline enhances retrieval, it should counteract retrieval inhibition and thus reduce intentional forgetting. Therefore, the sentence is describing the very mechanism (and the phenomenon it causes) that the experiment is designed to test the effects of adrenaline on.
Option (A) accurately captures this. The "phenomenon" (intentional forgetting, caused by retrieval inhibition) is what adrenaline was hypothesized to affect.
Option (B) is incorrect; there is no mention of a previous misinterpretation.
Option (C) is close but less precise. The sentence explains *what* intentional forgetting is, which is part of *why* they studied it, but its primary function is to define the target of the experiment.
Option (D) is incorrect; the sentence explains the mechanism of forgetting, not the reason for the experimental design of using two lists.
Option (E) is incorrect; the phenomenon does not contradict the main conclusion, it is central to it.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The sentence defines the phenomenon that is the target of the experiment's intervention, making option (A) the best description of its function.
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Question: 3
It can be inferred from the passage that McGaugh and colleagues would likely agree with which of the following statements?
It can be inferred from the passage that McGaugh and colleagues would likely agree with which of the following statements?
Show Hint
For inference questions about a researcher's viewpoint, reconstruct their argument step-by-step: What was their hypothesis? How did they test it? What did they conclude? The correct inference will be a logical extension of this argument.
Updated On: Sep 30, 2025
- Retrieval inhibition does not occur unless participants are explicitly told to forget information.
- Adrenaline enhances retrieval by counteracting the effects of retrieval inhibition.
- Retrieval inhibition is the only mechanism involved in intentional forgetting.
- Adrenaline affects retrieval more than it affects the encoding of new information.
- Adrenaline's effects on retrieval cannot be tested in humans.
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The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This is an inference question. We must deduce the researchers' position based on the logic of their experiment and its conclusion as presented in the passage.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The passage lays out the researchers' logic:
1. Intentional forgetting is caused by "retrieval inhibition."
2. They reasoned that "if adrenaline enhances retrieval, it should reduce intentional forgetting."
3. Their experiment showed that adrenaline-treated participants recalled *more* forgotten words.
4. The conclusion is that "adrenaline enhances the retrieval of intentionally forgotten memories."
Putting these steps together, the logical inference is that adrenaline works by overcoming or counteracting the retrieval inhibition that causes the forgetting in the first place.
Option (B) states this inferred mechanism directly.
Option (A) is too absolute; the passage says retrieval inhibition makes information less likely to be retrieved "whether intentionally or unintentionally," suggesting it might not require an explicit instruction.
Option (C) is too strong; the passage doesn't claim it's the "only" mechanism.
Option (D) is not supported; the experiment was designed to isolate retrieval from new learning (encoding), not to compare the magnitude of the effects.
Option (E) is false; the experiment described was conducted on human participants.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The logic of the experiment strongly supports the inference that the researchers believe adrenaline enhances retrieval by working against retrieval inhibition. Option (B) is the correct choice.
This is an inference question. We must deduce the researchers' position based on the logic of their experiment and its conclusion as presented in the passage.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The passage lays out the researchers' logic:
1. Intentional forgetting is caused by "retrieval inhibition."
2. They reasoned that "if adrenaline enhances retrieval, it should reduce intentional forgetting."
3. Their experiment showed that adrenaline-treated participants recalled *more* forgotten words.
4. The conclusion is that "adrenaline enhances the retrieval of intentionally forgotten memories."
Putting these steps together, the logical inference is that adrenaline works by overcoming or counteracting the retrieval inhibition that causes the forgetting in the first place.
Option (B) states this inferred mechanism directly.
Option (A) is too absolute; the passage says retrieval inhibition makes information less likely to be retrieved "whether intentionally or unintentionally," suggesting it might not require an explicit instruction.
Option (C) is too strong; the passage doesn't claim it's the "only" mechanism.
Option (D) is not supported; the experiment was designed to isolate retrieval from new learning (encoding), not to compare the magnitude of the effects.
Option (E) is false; the experiment described was conducted on human participants.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The logic of the experiment strongly supports the inference that the researchers believe adrenaline enhances retrieval by working against retrieval inhibition. Option (B) is the correct choice.
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Question: 4
The primary purpose of the passage is to
The primary purpose of the passage is to
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To find the primary purpose, ask yourself what the main subject of the majority of the passage is. If most of the text is dedicated to explaining a particular study—its setup, execution, and results—then the purpose is likely to describe that study.
Updated On: Sep 30, 2025
- reconcile two opposing theories about the effects of adrenaline on memory
- describe an experiment that tested the effects of adrenaline on memory retrieval
- evaluate the methodology used in a series of experiments on memory retrieval
- argue that adrenaline affects memory retrieval more than it affects memory storage
- explain the role of retrieval inhibition in intentional forgetting
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The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This is a primary purpose question that asks for the main idea of the entire passage.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The passage is structured as follows: It introduces a problem in a field of study (the difficulty of testing adrenaline's effect on retrieval), then it details a specific experiment (McGaugh and colleagues' study) designed to solve this problem, and finally, it presents the results and conclusion of that experiment. The central focus is the experiment itself.
Option (B) perfectly summarizes this structure. The passage is, at its core, a description of this specific experiment.
Option (A) is incorrect; the passage focuses on a single experiment, not on reconciling two broad theories.
Option (C) is incorrect; it describes the methodology but does not critically "evaluate" it.
Option (D) is incorrect; the passage is about demonstrating an effect on retrieval, not comparing it to storage.
Option (E) is incorrect; explaining retrieval inhibition is a key part of the background for the experiment, but it is not the main purpose of the passage. The main purpose is to show how that concept was used in the experiment.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The entire passage is built around the description of McGaugh's experiment, making option (B) the correct answer.
This is a primary purpose question that asks for the main idea of the entire passage.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The passage is structured as follows: It introduces a problem in a field of study (the difficulty of testing adrenaline's effect on retrieval), then it details a specific experiment (McGaugh and colleagues' study) designed to solve this problem, and finally, it presents the results and conclusion of that experiment. The central focus is the experiment itself.
Option (B) perfectly summarizes this structure. The passage is, at its core, a description of this specific experiment.
Option (A) is incorrect; the passage focuses on a single experiment, not on reconciling two broad theories.
Option (C) is incorrect; it describes the methodology but does not critically "evaluate" it.
Option (D) is incorrect; the passage is about demonstrating an effect on retrieval, not comparing it to storage.
Option (E) is incorrect; explaining retrieval inhibition is a key part of the background for the experiment, but it is not the main purpose of the passage. The main purpose is to show how that concept was used in the experiment.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The entire passage is built around the description of McGaugh's experiment, making option (B) the correct answer.
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