Reading Comprehension: Individual Things vs. Groups of Things

This approach to answer choices involves a distinction between an individual thing and a group or groups of things. It is similar to the difference between individual people and groups of people (Lesson 23).

Attention to this difference in scope will save you a lot of time and a lot of wrong answers.

PRACTICE QUESTION FOR INDIVIDUAL THINGS VS. GROUPS OF THINGS

Autobiographical memory is necessary in order to process new stimuli, such as those which children are constantly encountering. As previous encounters multiply and accumulate, however, the necessity to remember the details of each particular situation diminishes. Instead, generalizations from prior experiences can be utilized in order to handle the manifestation of any subsequent similar situation. Therefore, as time passes, memory becomes more semantic and less autobiographical.

1. The above lines primarily state that
   (A) memory diminishes with the progression of time
   (B) autobiographical memory is present only in children
   (C) generalizations from past experiences reduce the need for particulars
   (D) the appearance of a new situation activates semantic memory
   (E) a lack of memory is caused by the accumulation of experience

So what did you come up with? A? B? C? D? E? Let's see...

And the winner is...

The referenced lines focus on several groups of things: “encounters”, “details”, “generalizations”, and “experiences”. Thus, the correct answer must also address groups of things.

   Choice (A) speaks to an individual thing (“memory”)
   Choice (B) contains the same flaw (“autobiographical memory”)
   Choice (D) also focuses on individual things (“semantic memory”)
   Choice (E) addresses a singular concept ("memory")

   Only choice (C) contains the groups of things ("generalizations"; "particulars"; "experiences") that are present within the referenced lines.

 SAT Reading: Individual Things vs. Groups

Lesson Includes:

—Approaching Individual Things vs. Groups of Things

—Practice Question for Individual Things vs. Groups of Things

SAT Math

SAT Writing

SAT Reading

SAT Vocabulary