Question 127·Easy·Cross-Text Connections
Text 1
At a long-term care facility, staff provided small robotic seals that chirped and moved their flippers when touched. Residents petted, named, and spoke to the devices without any prompts. One researcher concluded, "The robots elicited the same kinds of soothing routines we see with real cats and dogs. Their interactions were no different from those with living pets."
Text 2
A psychologist studying companionship technologies writes that robot pets can ease loneliness and encourage routine social behavior in some settings. However, she argues that these devices do not fully reproduce the unpredictability, responsiveness, and mutual attachment cues of living animals; for many users, they are helpful tools rather than replacements.
Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 2 most likely respond to the underlined portion of Text 1?
For cross-text questions, first pinpoint the key claim or sentence in Text 1 that the question highlights. Then, summarize Text 2’s attitude in your own words: is it agreeing, disagreeing, or partly agreeing with that claim? Pay close attention to contrast words like "however" and any limits or qualifications. Finally, eliminate answer choices that contradict clear statements from Text 2 or introduce ideas not mentioned, and choose the option that best captures how the second author would respond—often a nuanced, "yes, but" position rather than an extreme one.
Hints
Focus on the underlined claim in Text 1
Reread the underlined sentence in Text 1. What is the researcher saying about how similar interactions with robot pets are to interactions with real pets?
Check Text 2’s overall attitude toward robot pets
In Text 2, does the author seem completely positive, completely negative, or somewhat in-between about robot pets? Look for words like "however" and phrases that show limits.
Compare agreement vs. disagreement
Would the author of Text 2 fully agree that interactions with robot pets are "no different" from those with living pets, or would she agree with part of that idea but push back on another part?
Eliminate choices that contradict clear statements in Text 2
Remove any options that say robot pets mostly make things worse, or that living pets have no special qualities, or that the benefits of robot pets vanish quickly—do you see those ideas anywhere in Text 2?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the key claim in the underlined sentence (Text 1)
Focus on the underlined part in Text 1: "Their interactions were no different from those with living pets."
This means the researcher is claiming that:
- The way residents interacted with the robot seals is the same as how they interact with real cats and dogs.
- There is no important difference between interactions with robot pets and living pets.
Summarize the viewpoint of Text 2
Now look at what the author of Text 2 says:
- She agrees that robot pets "can ease loneliness and encourage routine social behavior".
- But she also says these devices "do not fully reproduce" key qualities of living animals, like unpredictability, responsiveness, and mutual attachment cues.
- She concludes that for many people, robot pets are helpful tools, but not replacements for real animals.
So, Text 2 presents a mixed view: some benefits, but clear limits compared to living pets.
Decide how Text 2 would respond to “no different”
Compare the ideas:
- Text 1 says interactions with robots are "no different" from those with real pets.
- Text 2 says robots help but do not fully reproduce what real animals offer and are not replacements.
So the author of Text 2 would likely:
- Agree that robot pets can comfort people and encourage similar routines.
- Disagree that the interactions are completely identical or that robot pets fully replace living animals.
This means Text 2 would offer a partial agreement plus a clear qualification (a “yes, but…” response).
Match this response to the best answer choice
Now match that “yes, but” attitude to the options:
- We want an option where Text 2 accepts some benefits of robot pets but rejects the idea that they are the same as living pets or full replacements.
The choice that does exactly this is:
A) By conceding that robotic pets may comfort some people but asserting that the interactions are not identical to those with living animals.
This reflects Text 2’s message: robot pets can ease loneliness and support social behavior, yet they lack important qualities of real animals and are not true replacements.