Question 4·Easy·Central Ideas and Details
A recent study led by Dr. María Pérez at the University of Valencia monitored the sleep patterns of 2,000 adults for one month. The researchers discovered that participants averaged 6.8 hours of sleep each night, and those who slept fewer than 6 hours were significantly more likely to report high stress levels. The findings suggest that adults should strive for at least 7 hours of nightly sleep to promote better well-being.
According to the passage, what was the average amount of sleep per night among the study’s participants?
For detail questions like this, underline the key task word (here, "average") and then go back to the passage to find the exact phrase that matches it. Pay close attention to numbers and qualifiers (like "averaged" vs. "should strive for"), and always choose the answer that repeats or paraphrases the specific information in the text rather than a general idea or common-sense guess.
Hints
Find where sleep amounts are mentioned
Skim the passage for any numbers that refer to hours of sleep and note which sentence talks about them.
Focus on the word "averaged"
Look for the sentence that uses the word "averaged" or otherwise describes the typical or mean amount of sleep participants got each night.
Separate facts from recommendations
Notice that the passage includes both what the study found and what adults should strive for. Make sure you choose the number that describes what actually happened in the study, not the suggested goal.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the question is asking
The question asks for the average amount of sleep per night among the study’s participants. This means you must find the exact number in the passage that describes how much sleep the participants actually got on average, not what they should aim for.
Locate the relevant sentence in the passage
Scan the passage for any numbers of hours of sleep. In the sentence: "The researchers discovered that participants averaged 6.8 hours of sleep each night," the word "averaged" directly answers the question about the average amount of sleep.
Match the quoted value to the answer choices
The passage states that the participants averaged 6.8 hours of sleep each night. Among the options, this corresponds to choice B) 6.8 hours, which is the correct answer.