Supporting Evidence - SSAT Upper Level Reading

1. What evidence does the author use to justify the argument that minimum-wage increases did not reduce employment?
   Answer: Employment in affected counties changed +0.2% versus +0.1% in matched controls after the increase (BLS, 2021). This question tests SSAT Upper Level reading skills: identifying evidence that supports a conclusion. The key concept is understanding how specific pieces of evidence can directly support or refute a conclusion based on logical reasoning. This involves critical reading and analytical skills to discern relevant from irrelevant information. In the passage, the argument that minimum-wage increases did not reduce employment is justified by data showing employment in affected counties changed +0.2% versus +0.1% in matched controls, which illustrates no negative impact. Choice A is correct because it directly compares employment changes between treatment and control groups, demonstrating that employment actually increased slightly more in areas with wage increases, using official data (BLS, 2021). Choice B is incorrect because it presents one owner's subjective feeling about hiring difficulty without payroll records or comparative data, leading to a common misconception where students might overvalue anecdotal business owner testimony. To help students, teach them to identify key phrases that signal controlled comparisons, such as 'matched controls' and percentage changes. Encourage practice with recognizing the importance of comparison groups in economic studies. Watch for: reliance on individual anecdotes, general statements about wages and morale without employment data, and outdated case studies from different economic contexts.
2. What evidence most directly demonstrates that microplastics pose a threat to marine animals?
   Answer: Ninety percent of seabirds have plastic in their digestive systems, mistaking fragments for food Choice C provides direct evidence of harm to marine animals through ingestion statistics and explains the mechanism (mistaking plastic for food). Choice A explains sources but not threats to animals. Choice B describes the particles but not their impact on marine life. Choice D shows distribution but doesn't demonstrate direct threats to animals.
3. What evidence best supports the claim that Renaissance thinking represented a departure from medieval approaches?
   Answer: Humanism emerged as scholars rediscovered classical texts, emphasizing individual potential rather than religious concerns Choice A directly contrasts Renaissance humanism (individual potential) with medieval focus (religious concerns), showing the philosophical shift. Choice B shows Renaissance innovation but doesn't explicitly contrast with medieval approaches. Choice C describes a technical advancement but doesn't demonstrate departure from medieval thinking. Choice D shows expanded subject matter but doesn't clearly contrast with medieval practices.
4. Which combination of evidence most convincingly supports the conclusion that meditation reduces workplace stress?
   Answer: Lower reported stress levels (34%) combined with reduced cortisol concentrations (28%) in meditators Choice D combines both subjective (survey) and objective (biological) measures showing consistent stress reduction, providing the strongest evidence. Choice A only includes subjective reports. Choice B describes measurement methods but not results. Choice C explains the study design but doesn't provide evidence of outcomes.
5. Which evidence most strongly supports the conclusion that early school start times create unequal disadvantages for different groups of students?
   Answer: Students from lower-income families showed the biggest improvements with delayed start times. When you encounter questions asking for evidence that "supports a conclusion," you need to identify which piece of information directly proves the specific claim being made. Here, the conclusion is about "unequal disadvantages for different groups of students." Choice C provides the strongest evidence because it directly demonstrates inequality between groups. When students from lower-income families showed the biggest improvements after start times changed, this reveals that early start times were hurting these students disproportionately compared to their wealthier peers. This is exactly what "unequal disadvantages" means—one group suffers more than another from the same policy. Choice A describes teenage sleep patterns generally but doesn't address differences between groups of students. It explains why early start times might be problematic for all teens, not why they create unequal effects. Choice B shows that later start times help students overall, but again doesn't demonstrate that some groups benefit more than others. Choice D indicates that benefits increase over time, which is about timing rather than inequality between different student populations. The key distinction is between evidence showing general problems (choices A and B) versus evidence showing unequal impacts on different groups (choice C). Choice D addresses timing rather than group differences. Remember that on reading comprehension questions asking for supporting evidence, match the evidence to the specific claim being made. Don't be tempted by answers that seem relevant to the general topic—focus on what directly proves the particular conclusion stated in the question.
6. A city council concludes that installing bike lanes reduces traffic accidents. Which evidence would most strongly support this conclusion?
   Answer: Streets with bike lanes show 25% fewer vehicle collisions than streets without them Choice A directly links bike lanes to accident reduction with specific quantitative data supporting the conclusion. Choice B provides cost information irrelevant to safety outcomes. Choice C shows public support but doesn't demonstrate safety benefits. Choice D explains a potential mechanism (more cycling) but doesn't directly prove accident reduction.
7. Which evidence best supports the claim that industrialization disrupted traditional family structures?
   Answer: Economic necessity forced both parents into factory labor, leaving children largely without supervision Choice D shows how industrialization changed family dynamics by forcing both parents to work outside the home, disrupting traditional child-rearing patterns. Choice A describes separation but doesn't specifically address family structure changes. Choice B describes pre-industrial family life but doesn't show disruption. Choice C focuses on women's work experiences rather than overall family structure changes.
8. What evidence best supports the conclusion that agriculture enabled larger, more complex societies?
   Answer: Permanent settlements led to labor specialization as people could focus on non-food production activities Choice C demonstrates how agriculture enabled social complexity through labor specialization, showing the development of more sophisticated societies. Choice A describes hunter-gatherer limitations but doesn't show agricultural advantages. Choice B shows larger population support but not necessarily complexity. Choice D shows population density increases but doesn't specifically demonstrate social complexity.
9. What evidence most directly supports the conclusion that insufficient sleep harms teenagers' academic performance?
   Answer: Students averaging five hours of sleep score 15% lower on standardized tests Choice C provides specific quantitative evidence directly linking sleep duration to academic performance through test scores. Choice A shows the prevalence of sleep deprivation but doesn't connect it to academic outcomes. Choice B describes cognitive effects that could relate to academics but doesn't directly measure academic performance. Choice D explains biological factors but doesn't demonstrate academic impact.
10. What combination of evidence most convincingly demonstrates nature's positive effects on mental health?
    Answer: Reduced cortisol (23%), lower anxiety rates (15%), and faster patient recovery (30%) all support benefits Choice D combines multiple types of evidence (biological, psychological, and medical) showing consistent mental health benefits across different measures and populations. Choice A provides one biological measure. Choice B shows cognitive effects but focuses on attention/memory rather than mental health. Choice C provides one psychological measure but doesn't combine evidence types.
11. What evidence best supports the theory that Roanoke colonists joined Native American communities?
    Answer: English settler artifacts were discovered at Native American sites on Hatteras Island Choice B provides concrete physical evidence of English items in Native American locations, directly supporting the integration theory. Choice A shows the colonists disappeared and left a clue but doesn't prove they joined Native communities. Choice C states the theory but isn't evidence itself. Choice D provides genetic evidence but could have other explanations for European DNA in the area.
12. Which evidence most directly demonstrates that ocean acidification harms coral growth and survival?
    Answer: Laboratory studies show that corals in acidified water grow 30% slower than in normal conditions Choice B provides direct experimental evidence quantifying how acidification reduces coral growth rates in controlled conditions. Choice A explains the chemical mechanism but doesn't demonstrate actual harm to corals. Choice C describes bleaching events but doesn't specifically link them to acidification. Choice D offers predictions but doesn't provide current evidence of acidification's effects.
13. A psychologist concludes that pet ownership reduces stress levels in college students. Which evidence would provide the strongest support for this conclusion?
    Answer: College students with pets show 25% lower cortisol levels than students without pets Choice A provides objective biological evidence directly measuring stress through cortisol levels in the target population. Choice B suggests potential mechanisms but doesn't provide evidence of stress reduction. Choice C shows institutional recognition but doesn't prove the stress-reduction effect. Choice D addresses loneliness rather than stress specifically.
14. A researcher claims that background music improves workplace productivity. Which evidence would most effectively support this claim?
    Answer: Employees listening to instrumental music completed 18% more tasks per hour than those working in silence Choice A provides direct quantitative evidence linking background music to increased productivity through task completion rates. Choice B explains potential mechanisms but doesn't measure actual productivity. Choice C shows adoption but doesn't prove effectiveness. Choice D shows preference but doesn't demonstrate productivity improvements.
15. A researcher concludes that regular exercise improves mood in elderly adults. Which piece of evidence would best support this conclusion?
    Answer: Elderly adults who exercise three times weekly report significantly higher happiness levels Choice A provides direct evidence linking regular exercise to improved mood through reported happiness levels in the target population. Choice B explains a biological mechanism but doesn't specifically demonstrate the effect in elderly adults. Choice C shows participation but doesn't measure mood outcomes. Choice D gives exercise recommendations but doesn't connect exercise to mood improvements.
16. Which evidence best supports the claim that the Library of Alexandria was the ancient world's premier learning institution?
    Answer: Renowned scholars like Euclid and Eratosthenes conducted groundbreaking research there producing major discoveries Choice C provides evidence of the library's intellectual impact through famous scholars and their achievements, demonstrating its premier status. Choice A shows its founding and geographic reach but not necessarily its supremacy. Choice B indicates size but not quality or impact. Choice D describes its decline rather than supporting its premier status.
17. Which evidence best supports the conclusion that horse domestication gave certain cultures significant advantages over others?
    Answer: Archaeological evidence shows horse-riding cultures rapidly expanded across vast territories, displacing settled populations effectively Choice A directly demonstrates competitive advantage by showing that horse-riding cultures expanded and displaced others, proving their superiority in territorial control. Choice B shows military advantages but doesn't prove overall cultural dominance. Choice C shows economic benefits but doesn't demonstrate advantage over other cultures. Choice D shows agricultural improvements but not competitive advantages over non-horse cultures.
18. Which evidence best supports the conclusion that writing systems transformed human knowledge preservation?
    Answer: Writing enabled creation of literature, historical records, and scientific treatises preserved across generations Choice C directly shows how writing enabled preservation of complex knowledge across time through various forms of recorded information. Choice A describes pre-writing limitations but doesn't show the transformation. Choice B gives an example of early writing but focuses on basic record-keeping rather than knowledge preservation. Choice D states the result but doesn't provide the specific evidence of how writing accomplished this.
19. Identify the evidence that most effectively corroborates the thesis that tutoring programs narrow math achievement gaps.
    Answer: Participants gained 0.28 SD in math versus 0.07 SD for nonparticipants (DOE, 2022). This question tests SSAT Upper Level reading skills: identifying evidence that supports a conclusion. The key concept is understanding how specific pieces of evidence can directly support or refute a conclusion based on logical reasoning. This involves critical reading and analytical skills to discern relevant from irrelevant information. In the passage, the thesis that tutoring programs narrow math achievement gaps is corroborated by data showing participants gained 0.28 SD versus 0.07 SD for nonparticipants, which illustrates a substantial differential improvement. Choice A is correct because it directly compares learning gains between program participants and nonparticipants using standard deviation measures, providing quantitative evidence from a credible source (DOE, 2022). Choice B is incorrect because it focuses on tutor enthusiasm rather than student outcomes, leading to a common misconception where students might confuse program engagement with measurable achievement. To help students, teach them to identify key phrases that signal comparative gains, such as standard deviation differences and participant versus nonparticipant comparisons. Encourage practice with understanding effect sizes and achievement gap metrics. Watch for: confusion between tutor experiences and student outcomes, concurrent changes not specific to math gaps, and vague generalizations without quantified evidence.
20. What evidence most clearly demonstrates the harmful impact of the garbage patch on marine wildlife?
    Answer: Sea turtles mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, causing intestinal blockages and death in many cases Choice D provides specific evidence of harm by explaining both the mechanism (mistaking plastic for food) and the lethal consequence (intestinal blockages and death). Choice A shows the size but not the impact on wildlife. Choice B quantifies the pollution but doesn't demonstrate harm to animals. Choice C shows ingestion but doesn't specify the harmful effects.

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