Reading Comprehension

Scientific advances in the latter half of the twentieth century have allowed researchers to study the chemical activities taking place in the human brain during the sleep cycle in more detail. In the 1970s, Jacobs employed these advances to postulate that dreams and hallucinations share a common neurochemical mechanism with respect to the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine that accounts for the observable similarities between the two states of mind. To test the theory, researchers attempted to elucidate the role of these transmitters in the normal sleep cycle and the effect of hallucinogenic drugs on them.
Although scientists still have much to discover about the chemical complexities of the brain, serotonin appears important for managing sleep, mood, and appetite, among other important functions, while neurons release norepinephrine to facilitate alertness and mental focus. Both are discharged in high quantities only during waking states. At the onset of sleep, the activity levels of neurons that release both the neurotransmitters drop, allowing the brain first to enter the four non-rapid eye movement (Non-REM) stages of sleep. When the brain is ready to enter the fifth stage, REM, which is associated with dreaming, the levels of these two chemicals drop virtually to zero. The Jacobs hypothesis held that the absence of norepinephrine was required to enable the brain to remain asleep, while the absence of serotonin was necessary to allow dreaming to occur.
Lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD, is a semi-synthetic psychedelic drug which causes significant alteration of the senses, memories and awareness; at doses higher than 20 micrograms, it can have a hallucinogenic effect. LSD mimics serotonin well enough to be able to bind at most of the neurotransmitter's receptor sites, largely inhibiting normal transmission. In addition, the drug causes the locus ceruleus, a cluster of neurons containing norepinephrine, to greatly accelerate activity. If the drug stimulates norepinephrine, thereby precluding sleep, and inhibits serotonin, which Jacobs had postulated was a necessary condition for dreaming, then the resulting hallucinations could merely be "dreaming while awake." The research thus far is promising but inconclusive; future scientific advances should allow this theory to be tested more rigorously


Which of the following best represents the author's primary goal in writing the passage?

to outline a theory and suggest options for further research

to act as an advocate for additional research to help elucidate a particular theory's validity

to introduce a theoretical construct that has not yet been sufficiently proven

to demonstrate the complexities involved in conducting a certain type of scientific research

to articulate a hypothesis and lay out the case for proving it.

Please explain your Choice.

This one was interesting... I'll have to go with C.

Which of the following best represents the author's primary goal in writing the passage?

(A) "to outline a theory and suggest options for further research" Incorrect. This answer is half correct. The passage outlines Jacobs' theory and discusses some tests conducted by researchers to prove the theory. However, the passage does not suggest options for further research.

(B) "to act as an advocate for additional research to help elucidate a particular theory's validity" Incorrect. The author's tone seems to be neutral. I don't feel he is advocating anything.

(C) "to introduce a theoretical construct that has not yet been sufficiently proven" Correct. The first paragraph introduces Jacobs' theory. There is ample evidence from the passage to indicate that the theory has not been sufficiently proven. For example the first line of the second paragraph states, "although scientists still have much to discover about the chemical complexities of the brain". Also consider the last line of the passage, "the research thus far is promising but inconclusive; future scientific advances should allow this theory to be tested more rigorously". Both of these indicate that the theory is not yet proven.

(D) "to demonstrate the complexities involved in conducting a certain type of scientific research" Incorrect. The passage describes research into Jacobs' theory. The author never makes a reference to the complexities of the research. The research happens to be complex but the author presents it in a very neutral way. He is not trying to demonstrate to the audience that this research is complex. He is just presenting the information.

(E) "to articulate a hypothesis and lay out the case for proving it" Incorrect. This is another half-right answer. The passage does articulate Jacobs' theory. However, it does not lay out a case for proving it. In my opinion, "laying out a case for proving it" means that the author is arguing for the need to prove this theory. This passage is not in the form of an argument. The author is presenting the information is a neutral manner.

SmarpanGamt, what's the OA for this?...

u are correct OA is C

I think this one is from kaplan.
Infact i found some other questions of this passage tuffer(illogical to some extent) than this one.
Were you able to get all others?

thanks