Question 106·Easy·Cross-Text Connections
Text 1
Some people say yawning happens because we need more oxygen. In a stuffy room, they argue, people yawn to take a deep breath, so stale air is the main cause of yawning.
Text 2
Neuroscientist Maya Chen reports that experiments suggest yawning helps cool the brain and is strongly influenced by social cues. People yawn more when they see others yawn, and changes to room temperature affect yawning rates, but altering oxygen levels did not.
Based on the texts, how would the researcher in Text 2 most likely respond to the explanation in Text 1?
For cross-text questions, first summarize each text in a short phrase (for example, Text 1: “oxygen/stale air cause yawning”; Text 2: “brain cooling and social cues matter, oxygen changes don’t”). Then decide whether the second text would agree, disagree, or modify the first. Before looking at the choices, predict that relationship in your own words; afterwards, eliminate any options that add new, unsupported ideas, ignore key details (like social cues and temperature here), or get the agree/disagree relationship wrong. This keeps you focused on what the texts actually say instead of being distracted by plausible-sounding but irrelevant details.
Hints
Clarify what Text 1 claims
Look at Text 1 and underline what it says is the main cause of yawning. Focus on the words "stuffy room," "deep breath," and "stale air."
Clarify what Text 2 claims
In Text 2, find what the experiments say yawning does and what factors do and do not change yawning rates. Pay special attention to oxygen levels, temperature, and social cues.
Decide if the researcher would agree or disagree
Ask yourself: would the researcher in Text 2 agree that stale air/low oxygen is the main cause of yawning, or challenge that idea? Then look for an answer choice that matches that reaction and also reflects the specific factors mentioned in Text 2.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand Text 1’s explanation
Text 1 says that yawning happens because we need more oxygen. It explains that in a stuffy room, people yawn to take a deep breath, so stale air/low oxygen is presented as the main cause of yawning.
Identify Text 2’s main findings
Text 2 says that experiments suggest yawning helps cool the brain and that it is strongly influenced by social cues. It adds that people yawn more when they see others yawn, and that room temperature changes yawning rates, but changing oxygen levels did not affect yawning.
Compare how the two texts treat oxygen and other factors
Text 1: yawning ≈ response to stale air/low oxygen.
Text 2: yawning ≈ related to brain temperature and social cues, and not affected by oxygen level changes. So the researcher in Text 2 would disagree that low oxygen is the main cause and would emphasize other factors instead.
Match the comparison to the answer choice
The correct choice must (1) disagree with the idea that stale air/low oxygen is the main cause and (2) mention the importance of temperature and social behavior. Only choice D) By arguing that low oxygen is not the primary cause of yawning and that temperature and social cues play important roles does both of these things, so D is the best answer.