Interpreting Author's Analogies
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SSAT Upper Level: Reading › Interpreting Author's Analogies
Read the passage and answer the question.
In a computer science elective, we learned that algorithms can inherit bias from the data that trains them. At first, that sounded like accusing math of having opinions, which felt absurd. Yet the examples were specific: facial recognition struggled more with certain skin tones, and hiring tools sometimes favored familiar backgrounds. The discomfort in the room was real, because the problem sounded both technical and moral.
Our instructor said a model is *like a mirror with smudges*, reflecting patterns but also distorting them. The context was training data: if the mirror has been handled carelessly, it shows some faces clearly and others poorly. The analogy helped us see that the system is not “evil,” but it is not neutral either. It carries the marks of what it has been given.
He emphasized that cleaning the mirror requires deliberate work: better data, careful testing, and accountability. That detail prevented the analogy from becoming fatalistic. Smudges are not destiny. They are evidence of contact.
We left the class thinking about responsibility in design. Technology, we realized, is shaped by human choices, even when it looks automatic. The mirror does not choose what it reflects.
In the passage, what does the analogy between a mirror with smudges and an algorithm suggest about bias?
It implies algorithms are made of glass and must be physically wiped with cloth to work.
It suggests algorithms eliminate bias automatically, because mirrors always show perfect truth.
It claims the analogy is about classroom cleanliness, not about data and model behavior.
It suggests algorithms can reproduce and distort existing patterns, depending on flawed or incomplete data.
Explanation
This question tests upper-level SSAT reading skills, specifically interpreting analogies or comparisons used by the author. Analogies are used to deepen understanding by comparing unfamiliar concepts to familiar ones, enhancing comprehension and providing clarity. In this passage, the analogy between a model and a mirror with smudges serves to demonstrate how algorithms can reflect and amplify biases from their data. Choice A is correct because it accurately captures the author's intended comparison and its effect on the reader's understanding, specifically highlighting distortion due to flawed inputs. Choice C is incorrect because it misinterprets the analogy by claiming automatic elimination of bias, which often occurs when students ignore the smudges' implications. To help students, teach them to identify the elements being compared and consider the broader context of the passage. Encourage practice with diverse texts to recognize how analogies function differently across genres and themes.