Ornithologist Dr. Marcus Thorne studied the song patterns of the white-crowned sparrow (*Z… — SAT

Ornithologist Dr. Marcus Thorne studied the song patterns of the white-crowned sparrow (*Zonotrichia leucophrys*) in different environments. Thorne hypothesized that sparrows living in urban areas sing at a higher pitch (minimum frequency) than those in rural areas to prevent their songs from being drowned out by low-frequency city noise. Which finding, if true, would most directly support Thorne's hypothesis?

White-crowned sparrows in cities produce songs with a minimum frequency of $3.5\text{ kHz}$ , while those in rural forests produce songs with a minimum frequency of $2.2\text{ kHz}$ .Answer
B
White-crowned sparrows in cities sing songs that are significantly longer and have more syllables than those of rural sparrows.
C
Rural white-crowned sparrows struggle to hear each other's songs when they are exposed to simulated urban traffic sounds in a laboratory setting.
D
Many bird species in urban environments have developed brighter plumage to attract mates in low-light city areas.

Answer

White-crowned sparrows in cities produce songs with a minimum frequency of

3.5\text{ kHz}

, while those in rural forests produce songs with a minimum frequency of

2.2\text{ kHz}

The correct option directly supports the hypothesis by providing comparative data showing that urban white-crowned sparrows sing at a higher minimum frequency (

3.5\text{ kHz}

) than their rural counterparts (

2.2\text{ kHz}

), which directly aligns with the idea that city sparrows sing at a higher pitch to overcome low-frequency noise.

Step-by-Step Solution

Identify the researcher's hypothesis in the passage.

The hypothesis is that urban white-crowned sparrows sing at a higher pitch (minimum frequency) than rural sparrows to avoid being drowned out by city noise.

This establishes the target claim that the correct evidence must support.

Evaluate the choices to find evidence directly showing a higher pitch/frequency in urban sparrows compared to rural ones.

The finding that urban sparrows sing at a minimum frequency of

3.5\text{ kHz}

compared to

2.2\text{ kHz}

for rural sparrows shows a higher minimum frequency (pitch) in urban environments.

This comparison directly confirms the hypothesized difference in song frequency.

Key Concept

Identifying textual evidence that supports a specific scientific hypothesis

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