Question

What do Azara, Bullock, and Waterton have in common?

• A. They are all types of hummingbirds.
• B. They are all critics of the writer and disagree with his theory.
• C. They are all types of birds that eat insects.
• D. They are all scientists who think hummingbirds eat insects.
• E. They are all scientists who think hummingbirds eat flower nectar.

Hint:

When a passage lists several names in succession, it's usually to provide a series of examples or supporting authorities for a single point. Identify that central point, and you will find what the named individuals have in common.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Question
The question asks to identify the shared characteristic or belief of three individuals mentioned in the passage: Azara, Bullock, and Waterton.

Step 2: Locating and Analyzing the Mentions in the Text
We need to find each name in the passage and see what they are cited for:
- Azara: "Azara observed them on the La Plata in winter taking insects out of the webs of spiders..."
- Bullock: "Bullock, in Mexico, declares that he saw them catch small butterflies, and that he found many kinds of insects in their stomachs."
- Waterton: "Waterton made a similar statement."
The passage groups these three together as "close observers" and "naturalists" whose findings support the central argument: that hummingbirds eat insects.

Step 3: Evaluating the Options
(A) They are all types of hummingbirds.: Incorrect. They are clearly identified as people who observed hummingbirds.
(B) They are all critics of the writer...: Incorrect. The writer uses their observations as evidence to support his own argument. They are his allies, not his critics.
(C) They are all types of birds that eat insects.: Incorrect. They are people.
(D) They are all scientists who think hummingbirds eat insects.: Correct. All three are presented as observers (scientists/naturalists) who provided direct evidence that hummingbirds consume insects.
(E) They are all scientists who think hummingbirds eat flower nectar.: Incorrect. They are cited specifically to contradict the old theory that hummingbirds eat only nectar.
Step 4: Final Answer
The passage explicitly uses the observations of Azara, Bullock, and Waterton to build the case that hummingbirds eat insects. This is the common thread that links them.