Text Structure and Purpose

SAT Reading and Writing· difficulty 4/5

Recent meta-analyses indicate that mindfulness-based therapies reduce symptoms of generalized anxiety. The reductions, however, are most pronounced in trials with active control groups and shorter follow-up windows. As trial length and methodological rigor increase, the size of the apparent benefit consistently shrinks.

Which choice best describes the function of the second and third sentences in the text?

  • A

    They introduce a different therapeutic approach.

  • B

    They flatly refute the meta-analyses' main finding.

  • C

    They restate the headline result in different language.

  • D

    They identify methodological conditions under which the apparent benefit diminishes, qualifying the headline result.

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Explanation

The two sentences narrow the headline by tying the size of the effect to specific trial conditions. B captures this qualifying function.

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