Question 8·Medium·Central Ideas and Details
Urban ecologists studying the feeding habits of city-dwelling raccoons placed motion-activated cameras near garbage bins in several neighborhoods. The cameras recorded whether a raccoon inspected a bin, attempted to open it, or succeeded in extracting food. After reviewing three weeks of footage, the researchers found that raccoons that had previously succeeded at one bin were far more likely to attempt to open similar bins in the future, whereas raccoons that had never succeeded tended to ignore the bins altogether.
According to the passage, what evidence did the researchers use to decide whether a raccoon had attempted to open a garbage bin?
For Reading & Writing detail questions that ask "According to the passage" or "What evidence did X use," first underline the exact sentence or two that describes the method or behavior. Paraphrase what the passage says in your own words, then test each answer against that wording, rejecting choices that introduce new tools, time frames, or outcomes the passage never mentions. Prioritize answers that directly reflect what was observed or stated, and be especially careful to match key distinctions (like attempt vs success) instead of relying on outside logic or assumptions.
Hints
Find the key sentence
Look back at the sentence that lists what the cameras recorded about the raccoons’ behavior. How does the passage say the researchers distinguished between inspecting, attempting, and succeeding?
Think about "attempted" versus "succeeded"
For something to be an attempt but not a success, what must the raccoon be doing, and what must not have happened yet?
Match the answer to camera evidence
Which option describes something the cameras could plainly show the raccoon doing at the bin, rather than indirect clues found later or just the raccoon’s presence nearby?
Step-by-step Explanation
Locate the part of the passage that defines "attempted"
Focus on the sentence: "The cameras recorded whether a raccoon inspected a bin, attempted to open it, or succeeded in extracting food." This tells you that the researchers used what the cameras recorded to decide what counted as an attempt.
Clarify what counts as an attempt
The passage separates three behaviors:
- Inspecting a bin
- Attempting to open it
- Succeeding in extracting food
An attempt must be more than just looking (inspection), but less than success. That means the raccoon is actively working on the bin but not actually getting food.
Eliminate choices that don't match camera-recorded attempts
Now compare each option to what the passage describes:
- Scratches and bite marks on the lid are physical traces found later, not behavior seen on camera.
- Motion-sensor data about time near the bin is just presence, not a clear attempt to open the bin.
- A decrease in garbage the next morning indicates success in getting food, not just an attempt. All three conflict with the idea of the cameras recording specific behaviors and with the definition of an "attempt" as trying but not succeeding.
Select the choice that matches on-screen "attempt" behavior
The remaining option describes video footage showing the raccoon manipulating the bin without actually removing food, which is exactly what the passage implies: the cameras recorded raccoons actively trying to open bins (manipulating them) but not yet succeeding in extracting food. This best represents the evidence researchers used to decide that a raccoon had attempted to open a garbage bin.