Question 82·Easy·Command of Evidence
Some ecologists argue that bees living in cities may have an advantage over their rural counterparts because the variety of plants grown in parks, gardens, and window boxes allows them to find food during more months of the year. According to these scientists, the diverse, season-long bloom of urban flowers leads to greater foraging success for city bees.
Which finding, if true, would most directly support the ecologists’ claim?
For “Which finding would most directly support the claim?” questions, first restate the claim in simple terms and underline its key parts (such as who/what is being compared and on what basis). Then look for the answer choice that gives specific, concrete evidence—usually data, observations, or comparisons—that directly match those key parts. Quickly eliminate options that introduce new issues (like human behavior or pollution here) that don’t clearly test the claim itself, and be wary of choices that sound related but don’t actually address the exact reason given in the passage.
Hints
Focus on what the ecologists are claiming
Underline or note the reasons given in the passage: city bees may have an advantage because there are many types of plants and they can find food during more months of the year. Any supporting evidence should relate directly to these ideas.
Look for a comparison between urban and rural bees
Ask yourself: Which choice provides information that compares city bees and rural bees in terms of what plants they use or how long they can find food?
Ignore irrelevant details
Some options mention things like beekeeper behavior or pollution. Before picking an answer, check: Does this detail actually show that city bees get food from more kinds of plants or for more months of the year?
Match key words and ideas, not just topics
More than one choice may mention bees or cities, but only one will clearly connect to variety of plants and length of foraging season. Look for those specific concepts, not just general references to bees or locations.
Step-by-step Explanation
Restate the scientists’ claim in your own words
First, put the ecologists’ argument into simple language:
- City bees may have an advantage over rural bees.
- Why? Because cities have many different kinds of plants (parks, gardens, window boxes).
- This variety lets bees find food during more months of the year.
- As a result, there is greater foraging success (better food gathering) for city bees.
So, evidence should show that city bees actually get food from more types of plants and for a longer part of the year than rural bees.
Decide what kind of evidence would support the claim
To support a claim, an answer choice should give data or observations that match the key ideas in the claim.
Here, strong supporting evidence would:
- Compare urban vs. rural bees.
- Talk about what plants they visit or what pollen they collect.
- Show that city bees get food from more kinds of plants and/or for a longer time during the year.
Keep those specific elements in mind as you check each choice.
Eliminate choices that don’t match the claim
Go through the options and cross out ones that don’t address plant variety or length of foraging season:
- Choice A talks about how often beekeepers inspect hives. That’s about human behavior, not bees’ access to a wider variety of plants or longer feeding time.
- Choice B is about automobile exhaust exposure. This might affect health, but it doesn’t show anything about plant diversity, foraging time, or success.
- Choice C says rural areas have large plots of flowering crops. That describes rural landscapes; it doesn’t show that city bees have more plant variety or a longer season, and it might even suggest a rural advantage.
These do not directly support the ecologists’ specific argument.
Choose the option that directly matches the claim
The remaining choice states that pollen collected from urban hives comes from a larger number of plant species and is gathered during a longer portion of the year than pollen from rural hives.
This directly supports the ecologists’ claim because it shows exactly what they predict:
- City bees use a greater variety of plants (more plant species).
- City bees gather food over a longer part of the year.
Therefore, the correct answer is:
D) Pollen collected from urban hives comes from a larger number of plant species and is gathered during a longer portion of the year than pollen collected from rural hives.