37. A student reads these two sentences: 'The dog ate the food. It became ill.' Which cognitive process demonstrates anaphoric inference?
Answer: D
The student concludes that the word 'it' in the second sentence refers to the dog.
Anaphoric inference occurs when a reader connects a pronoun to the noun it replaces in a previous sentence. In this case, the student identifies that 'it' in the second sentence refers back to 'the dog' mentioned in the first sentence.
A) The student determines that the dog became ill due to eating the food.
This option describes a causal relationship between the dog's actions and its illness but does not specifically address the process of anaphoric inference. While it may be a logical conclusion, it does not illustrate the identification of the referent of the pronoun 'it'.
B) The student assumes that the dog was eating out of a bowl.
This option introduces an assumption that is not supported by the text provided. The original sentences do not give any information about the manner in which the dog ate, making this option irrelevant to the concept of anaphoric inference.
C) The student can picture the dog becoming ill and laying down.
While this option reflects the student's visualization of the scenario, it does not pertain to the cognitive process of linking the pronoun 'it' to the correct antecedent. Anaphoric inference specifically involves recognizing the connection between 'it' and 'the dog'.
D) The student concludes that the word 'it' in the second sentence refers to the dog.
This option accurately describes the cognitive process of anaphoric inference, as the student correctly identifies 'it' as referring to 'the dog'. This understanding is essential for grasping the relationship between the two sentences.
Conclusion
The correct answer is definitive as it directly addresses the concept of anaphoric inference by identifying the referent of the pronoun. Options A, B, and C, while related to the text, do not demonstrate the specific cognitive process of linking pronouns to their antecedents, which is crucial for understanding the text's meaning. Thus, D is the only choice that accurately captures the essence of anaphoric inference.