Question

research conducted by an interdisciplinary team including neuroscientist clara g. zundel suggests that exposure to air pollution can result in a greater likelihood of developing anxiety and depression. analyzing over 100 studies focusing on the effects of outdoor air pollution on mental health, the team looked at pollution’s impact on the brain’s hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex–the brain’s centers of emotion. the researchers determined that 73% of the studies reported more negative mental health symptoms in humans and animals exposed to higher - than - average air pollution levels.
zundel, clara g. air pollution harms the brain and mental health, too - a large - scale analysis documents effects on brain regions associated with emotions.
the conversation, 21 november 2022.
15 mark for review
which choice best states the function of the underlined sentence in the overall structure of the text?
a to refute an exception the researchers encountered during their analysis
b to demonstrate the results of the researchers’ study
c to describe the process the team used to reach their determination
d to present an example that supports the team’s hypothesis

Explanation:

The underlined sentence ("Analyzing over 100 studies focusing on the effects of outdoor air pollution on mental health, the team looked at pollution’s impact on the brain’s hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex—the brain’s centers of emotion") describes the actions the research team took (analyzing studies, looking at brain regions) to reach their determination about air pollution and mental health. Option A is incorrect as there's no exception to refute. Option B is wrong because this sentence is about the process, not the results (the results are in the next sentence about 73% of studies). Option D is incorrect as it's not an example but a description of the analysis process, not supporting a hypothesis with an example. So the correct choice is C.

Answer:

C. To describe the process the team used to reach their determination