A widely circulated claim holds that exposure to multiple languages in early childhood causes cognitive delays. Researchers Nia Patel and Amir Sarkar challenge this claim on two grounds: first, the original studies failed to distinguish socioeconomic factors from linguistic ones; second, even if such delays existed, they would not necessarily indicate a deficit, since they could reflect different developmental paths leading to comparable adult outcomes.
Which choice best describes the function of the second sentence in the text?
- A
It introduces a third unrelated researcher.
- B
It accepts the claim about cognitive delays without modification.
- Ccheck_circle
It mounts a methodological objection and a conceptual reframing of any residual finding.
- D
It restates the claim using different wording.
Explanation
Patel and Sarkar make two distinct moves: methodological critique and conceptual reframing of "delay." B captures both.