Explanation
Correct answer: A.
Choice A is the best answer because it presents a conclusion about the habits of New Year’s resolution makers that is best supported by information in the text and the table. The table presents percentages of resolution makers who make particular kinds of resolutions, indexed by age bracket. According to the table, 58 percent of resolution makers ages 50 to 64 made resolutions related to personal relationships, compared to 53 percent of resolution makers ages 30 to 49—indicating that the older group is more likely to make such resolutions. The table also shows that 56 percent of resolution makers ages 50 to 64 made resolutions related to finances, compared to 63 percent of resolution makers ages 30 to 49—indicating that the older group is less likely to make financial resolutions. Thus, the data support the conclusion that resolution makers between the ages of 50 and 64 are more likely to make resolutions related to personal relationships and less likely to make resolutions related to finances than resolution makers between the ages of 30 and 49 are.
Why the other choices are wrong
Choice B
Choice B is incorrect because according to the table, 79 percent of resolution makers ages 18 to 29 made resolutions about health and exercise, while 80 percent of resolution makers ages 30 to 49 made such resolutions. Therefore, resolution makers ages 18 to 29 are slightly less likely, not more likely, to make resolutions about health and exercise than resolution makers ages 30 to 49 are.
Choice C
Choice C is incorrect because neither the text nor the table provides information about whether resolution makers who make resolutions related to health and exercise also make resolutions in multiple additional categories. The text indicates that half of those who make a resolution make more than one, but it doesn’t specify how many or in which categories, and the table presents only the percentages of resolution makers in each age bracket who made particular kinds of resolutions.
Choice D
Choice D is incorrect because the table presents data only about people who chose to make resolutions, not about all US adults; the table therefore can’t support a conclusion about whether US adults overall become less likely to make resolutions as they age. Furthermore, although percentages of resolution makers generally decline as age bracket increases in some resolution categories, the table shows that the percentage of resolution makers who made health and exercise resolutions remains relatively stable across age brackets; thus, even among resolution makers, there isn’t a consistent age-related decline across all types of resolutions.