Question 128·Medium·Central Ideas and Details
Biologist Elaine Morgan studied the feeding habits of dwarf seahorses, which rely on rapid head movements to suck tiny crustaceans into their mouths. Using high-speed cameras, Morgan observed that the seahorses often paused for several seconds immediately before striking. Further analysis showed that during the pause the seahorses subtly adjusted their body angle so that water currents carried prey directly toward them, allowing a more successful capture. Morgan concluded that the pause was not hesitation but an active positioning strategy.
According to the passage, what did Morgan conclude about the pauses dwarf seahorses take before striking at prey?
For detail questions asking what a researcher “concluded” or “found,” go straight to the part of the passage where that person’s conclusion is stated—often introduced by words like “concluded,” “determined,” or “found that.” Read the sentence with that keyword plus the one just before it for context, restate the idea in your own words, then match that paraphrase to the answer choices. Eliminate any choice that introduces ideas not mentioned in the passage or that contradicts key phrases such as “not X but Y.”
Hints
Find where Morgan’s conclusion is stated
Scan for the phrase that includes the word “concluded” in the passage. That sentence directly answers what Morgan thought about the pauses.
Use the sentence before the conclusion as context
Before the conclusion sentence, the passage explains what the seahorses do during the pause. How does that description help you understand the purpose of the pause?
Check for ideas that appear (or don’t appear) in the passage
As you look at each answer choice, ask: Does the passage mention this idea—muscle speed, prey unpredictability, or energy cost—or is it being added by the answer? Eliminate any choice that brings in ideas not supported by the text.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the question is asking
The question asks: “What did Morgan conclude about the pauses dwarf seahorses take before striking at prey?” This means you must find Morgan’s conclusion about the pauses, not just any detail about seahorses or prey.
Locate the sentence with Morgan’s conclusion
Look at the end of the passage: the last sentence begins, “Morgan concluded that…”
“Morgan concluded that the pause was not hesitation but an active positioning strategy.”
This sentence directly states what Morgan thought the pause meant, so it is the key to answering the question.
Connect the conclusion to the description of the pause
Right before the conclusion, the passage explains what happens during the pause:
“Further analysis showed that during the pause the seahorses subtly adjusted their body angle so that water currents carried prey directly toward them, allowing a more successful capture.”
Together, these two sentences tell us:
- During the pause, seahorses adjust their body angle.
- This lets water currents carry prey directly toward them.
- This leads to more successful capture.
- Morgan calls this an “active positioning strategy,” not hesitation.
Match the passage’s idea to the correct answer choice
Now compare this to the answer choices:
- The passage says the pause is “not hesitation but an active positioning strategy” that lets currents bring prey to the seahorses for better capture.
The only answer that matches this idea—that the pause is a deliberate strategy for positioning with water currents to improve prey capture—is:
B) They serve as an active strategy to align with water currents for better prey capture.