Reading Comprehension: Application Questions
With which of the following statements about life expectancy would the author of the passage most likely agree?
Very good!
[[snippet]]In order for the author to use a statistic such as the average life expectancy in a country, that statistic must show something about the country as a whole or else the information would be meaningless.
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]This answer choice incorrectly presumes that there is a relationship between the two factors. However, even in the case the author presents, these factors are not necessarily related.
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]There is no information in the passage that suggests that fertility rate causes a higher life expectancy, despite the author's example in which countries today tend to have low fertility rates and high life expectancy. This situation could be caused by any number of factors and we are not given any information about any of them.
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]While this answer choice presents the common misconception the author is discussing, the author is making the point that this is no longer the case, as many third world countries also enjoy a high life expectancy.
Incorrect.
[[snippet]]The author does not state or imply any predictions for the future of life expectancy in any country, much less "Third World" countries.
Moreover, this answer choice is unlikely to be correct because it runs counter to the author's general point. The passage is an attempt to show that "Third World" countries are more similar to other countries than most people think. This answer choice, however, points out their differences.
