Explanation
Correct answer: D.
Choice D is the best answer because it accurately describes data from the graph that support the researchers’ conclusion that children may be more aware of mammals than of other animals. The graph presents the percent of drawings by schoolchildren that contained an example of an animal from a certain group (mammals, birds, or insects). The graph shows that approximately 80% of the drawings contained an example of a mammal, while only approximately 69% contained an example of a bird and only about 55% contained an example of an insect. The fact that mammals were included in more drawings than either birds or insects were supports the idea that children may be particularly aware of mammals in their environments.
Why the other choices are wrong
Choice A
Choice A is incorrect because the graph shows that there were not "about as many" drawings with insects as there were drawings with birds (approximately 69% of the drawings included an example of a bird, while only about 55% included an example of an insect). Further, comparing only the numbers for birds and insects wouldn’t indicate anything about the schoolchildren’s awareness of mammals.
Choice B
Choice B is incorrect because the graph shows that insects, not birds, were the group that appeared in the fewest number of drawings (approximately 69% of the drawings included an example of a bird but only about 55% included an example of an insect). Further, stating that examples from one nonmammal group appeared in the fewest number of drawings would provide no evidence about the schoolchildren’s awareness of mammals.
Choice C
Choice C is incorrect because the graph shows that more drawings had an example of a mammal than an example of an insect, not the other way around (approximately 80% of the drawings included an example of a mammal, while only about 55% included an example of an insect). Further, examples of a nonmammal group appearing in more drawings than examples of mammals did would actually weaken the claim that schoolchildren may be more aware of mammals than of other animals.