Q22

[StephanieK821]

Hello, I am confused as to why (E) is the correct answer choice. I thought that the view that the subtractive method depicts differential rates of oxygen use in the brain is what corrects the misconception of the method that it is "usually interpreted as a map... of metabolic activity" (35-37).

[ohthatpatrick]

First, we should comb the passage for lines in which the author expresses some opinion on the subtractive method.

In lines 35-38, there's some attitude: "fMRI is usually interpreted as ____ , but what it actually depicts is _____ ."

So the author would most likely agree that "the usual interpretation of the subtractive method is different from what it actually depicts".

In lines 43-46: "the reasoning, seemingly plausible, is that ....:

The author would most likely agree that "the usual interpretation of the subtractive method is, on its face, plausible"

(of course, if we see phrasings like "seemingly plausible", we anticipate a pivot)

Lines 47-52: "One immediately obvious problem ..... this method obscures ... a false impression is given"

So ultimately we'd expect the answer to say something like,
The author agrees that the subtractive method has a plausible interpretation, but since it actually depicts something else, it obscures reality .. it gives a false impression of reality.

That's our fuzzy prediction: "qualified negativity"
But specifically why does the author find subtractive method misleading?
"false impression = neat functional localization"
okay, so correct impression = messy global functional location

"this method obscures the fact that entire brain is active"


(A) too strong. "empirical results are INVALID"?

(B) opposite. "subtractive method" supports that mental processes are neatly localized.

(C) too specific/strong. The author isn't saying that the subtractive method fails at identifying the "most active" brain areas. He's just uncomfortable with the fact that it sends off the wrong impression that other brain areas are not also active (even if less so).

(D) Sure, this seems fine. The author said "this method gives off the impression of neat functional localization". And we can support "illusion" because of "false impression / obscures the fact".

(E) opposite. The misconception of the method is that it depicts "which areas of the brain are active". The messy reality is that it depicts "differential rates of oxygen use".


The correct answer is (D). (I'm not sure where you got that it was E)