Yawn contagion occurs when one individual yawns in response to another's yawn. Studies of this behavior in primates have focused...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
Yawn contagion occurs when one individual yawns in response to another's yawn. Studies of this behavior in primates have focused on populations in captivity, but biologist Elisabetta Palagi and her colleagues have shown that it can occur in wild primate populations as well. In their study, which focused on a wild population of gelada monkeys (Theropithecus gelada) in Ethiopia, the researchers further reported that yawn contagion most commonly occurred in males and across different social groups instead of within a single social group.
Which choice best describes the function of the first sentence in the text as a whole?
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Yawn contagion occurs when one individual yawns in response to another's yawn.' |
|
| 'Studies of this behavior in primates have focused on populations in captivity,' |
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| 'but biologist Elisabetta Palagi and her colleagues have shown that it can occur in wild primate populations as well.' |
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Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Yawn contagion, previously studied only in captive primates, has been shown to occur in wild primate populations with specific patterns.
Argument Flow: The passage begins by defining yawn contagion, then contrasts previous research limitations with new research by Palagi's team.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
- What's being asked? The question asks about the function of the first sentence in relation to the text as a whole.
- What type of answer do we need? We need to determine what role the opening sentence serves for the entire passage.
- Any limiting keywords? None specified.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The first sentence provides a clear definition of yawn contagion
- Everything that follows discusses research about this exact phenomenon
- The sentence establishes what we're talking about, and the rest explores scientific research about this behavior
- This captures what the first sentence does - it defines what yawn contagion means, and the entire passage then discusses this defined phenomenon
- The first sentence doesn't introduce a problem needing solving; it simply explains what yawn contagion is
- The definition isn't challenged anywhere in the passage
- All research accepts and builds upon this definition
- The first sentence states a fact about what yawn contagion is, not a hypothesis to be tested