Question 55·Easy·Inferences
Historian Mario López analyzed ship logs from the early 1800s. He found that captains frequently loaded large quantities of oranges before lengthy voyages and recorded fewer cases of scurvy when oranges were abundant. López concludes that captains carried oranges mainly because ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
For SAT Reading & Writing inference questions that ask what someone “concludes” or what “most logically completes the text,” first identify the key relationship or pattern described (here, more oranges → less scurvy). Then, pick the choice that directly explains or aligns with that pattern using only information supported by the passage. Quickly eliminate answers that introduce new topics not mentioned (like price, personal business, or taste) or that don’t clearly connect to the central issue (scurvy), and choose the one that best matches the evidence and the author’s apparent focus.
Hints
Focus on the key relationship
Notice the relationship described: when oranges were abundant on ships, there were fewer cases of scurvy. Keep that connection in mind as you look at the answer choices.
Think about the captains' goal
Ask yourself: On long voyages, what would captains most want to avoid happening to their sailors, based on the information given?
Check each answer against the passage
For each option, ask: Does the passage mention or clearly support this idea (like price, taste, or business interests), or is it adding something new that isn't in the logs?
Link back to scurvy
Make sure the reason you choose is clearly connected to the change in scurvy cases, not just some general possible benefit of oranges.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the key evidence in the passage
The passage tells you two important facts from the ship logs:
- Captains frequently loaded large quantities of oranges before lengthy voyages.
- They recorded fewer cases of scurvy when oranges were abundant.
So there is a pattern: more oranges on long trips → fewer scurvy cases.
Understand what kind of conclusion is needed
The question asks what López concludes about why captains carried oranges.
So you are looking for an answer that:
- Explains the captains' main reason for loading many oranges.
- Is based on the observed connection between oranges and scurvy in the logs.
- Does not add unrelated or unsupported information.
Connect the pattern to the captains' motivation
If logs show that when there are more oranges there is less scurvy, a logical explanation is that captains used oranges for something related to scurvy.
Ask yourself: Which choice explains the captains' behavior in a way that directly matches this health-related pattern, rather than talking about cost, taste, or personal business interests?
Choose the option that best matches the evidence
Only choice D) oranges reduced the likelihood of sailors getting scurvy on long trips explains why captains loaded many oranges in a way that directly fits the observed pattern (more oranges, less scurvy) and stays within the information provided. The other choices introduce unrelated reasons (price, taste, surplus fruit) that the passage never mentions and that do not directly account for the lower scurvy rates.