SAT English Practice Question

While the study by researchers led by Dr. Smith, published in the "Journal of Psychological Research," showed that the brain's capacity to form new memories does not decrease with age, they also discovered that this capacity may be linked to the number of times a person engages in mentally challenging activities. Dr. Smith’s team found that older adults who regularly engaged in intellectually demanding activities, such as playing games, reading complex texts, and solving puzzles, had brains that were just as capable of forming new memories as those of much younger individuals. However, older adults who rarely or never engaged in such activities showed a noticeable decrease in their brain’s ability to form new memories. The study’s findings suggest that ______

1. A.The brain's capacity to form new memories is a fixed trait, and regular engagement in mentally challenging activities does not change this capacity.
2. B.The brain's capacity to form new memories is influenced by a person's age, and older adults are less likely to form new memories than younger individuals.
3. C.The brain's capacity to form new memories is influenced by a person's level of mental activity, and regular engagement in mentally challenging activities may help to preserve this capacity.
4. D.The brain's capacity to form new memories is influenced by a person's environment, and those who live in stimulating environments are more likely to form new memories than those who live in less stimulating environments.