Question 71·Medium·Central Ideas and Details
In a recent ecological study, researchers tracked the daily movements of urban pigeons in three large cities and analyzed the nutritional content of the food the birds consumed. They found that, despite abundant human food waste, pigeons preferred seeds and grains scavenged from small green spaces. When natural foods became scarce during winter, however, pigeons broadened their diet to include more bread and other processed foods. The researchers concluded that access to even limited natural food sources in cities plays a key role in maintaining pigeon health.
What does the text indicate about urban pigeons’ reliance on natural food sources?
For central idea/detail questions like this, first underline or mentally note the key sentence(s) that answer the specific “what does the text indicate” part—in this case, lines about what pigeons prefer to eat and what happens when food is scarce. Paraphrase that information in your own words before looking at the choices. Then, eliminate any options that use extreme language (“exclusively,” “avoid,” “unaffected”) or clearly contradict the passage. Finally, choose the option that most precisely matches your paraphrase, even if it doesn’t repeat the passage’s wording exactly.
Hints
Focus on what pigeons prefer to eat
Reread the sentence that begins with “They found that, despite abundant human food waste…” and pay attention to what the pigeons are said to prefer.
Notice what changes in winter
Look carefully at the sentence starting with “When natural foods became scarce during winter…” and think about how the pigeons’ diet changes when natural food sources are harder to find.
Use the conclusion about health
Check the final sentence about pigeon health and natural food sources. Ask yourself: does the passage suggest that the type of food matters for their health or not?
Eliminate answers that contradict the passage
Look for words like “exclusively,” “avoid,” or “unaffected” in the choices and compare them directly to what the passage says about pigeons’ actual behavior and health.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the question is asking
The question asks about “urban pigeons’ reliance on natural food sources.” That means you need to figure out how much pigeons depend on natural foods (like seeds and grains) and what they do when those foods are not available.
Locate key lines about what pigeons eat
Focus on these parts of the passage:
- “They found that, despite abundant human food waste, pigeons preferred seeds and grains scavenged from small green spaces.”
- “When natural foods became scarce during winter, however, pigeons broadened their diet to include more bread and other processed foods.”
- “The researchers concluded that access to even limited natural food sources in cities plays a key role in maintaining pigeon health.”
From these lines, note two ideas:
- What pigeons prefer to eat when they can.
- What pigeons do differently when natural food is scarce.
Summarize pigeons’ behavior with and without natural foods
Put the evidence into your own words:
- When natural food (seeds and grains) is available, pigeons mainly eat that, even though there is plenty of human food waste.
- When natural food becomes scarce, especially in winter, pigeons add more processed foods like bread to their diet.
- Natural foods are important for their health, according to the researchers’ conclusion.
So their reliance on natural food is strong when it’s available, but their diet changes when it isn’t.
Match this summary to the answer choices
Now compare your summary to each option:
- A) says pigeons eat human food exclusively because seeds are scarce, which contradicts the finding that they prefer seeds and grains when they can get them.
- B) says pigeons avoid processed foods even in winter, which goes against the statement that they eat more bread and other processed foods when natural foods are scarce.
- C) says their health is unaffected by food type, which conflicts with the conclusion that natural foods play a key role in maintaining pigeon health.
- D) accurately reflects that pigeons prefer natural foods when they are available but switch to more human food waste when natural foods are scarce.
Therefore, the correct answer is D) Pigeons choose natural foods when available but shift to human food waste when necessary.