Question 1
The ability to see at a distance, in good light, does not diminish as a result of aging to the extent
that other visual acuities do. Myopia, or nearsightedness, is more common to younger eyes,
while presbyopia, or farsightedness, more commonly afflicts people as they age. The word
presbyopia comes from Greek presbys, "old man," and opia, "eye," and names a condition in
which, because the lens of the eye hardens slightly and loses elasticity as a person ages, one
cannot as easily focus sharply on nearby objects. This condition leads to the familiar habit of
lifting up one's glasses and bringing an object or reading material close to the face so that the
eyes can more easily focus on it. The function of the lens is to accommodate different focal
points so that sensory data can be correctly directed to the retina for interpretation into images by
the brain. Corrective lenses, particularly bifocals or progressive lenses, adjust for the focal point
aberration. In essence, they do the work that the eye can no longer do for itself.
The author of the passage would probably agree with which of the following statements relating corrective lenses and aging eyes?
Rationale
The correct answer is B. The passage discusses how aging eyes experience presbyopia, where the lens loses elasticity, making it difficult to focus on nearby objects. Corrective lenses, like bifocals or progressive lenses, compensate for this loss of focusing ability. Similarly, a hiker reinforcing a fraying backpack strap with duct tape is akin to using corrective lenses to address the issue of aging eyes. Just as duct tape helps repair the strap, corrective lenses help address the vision problem associated with aging eyes. The other choices do not directly correlate with the relationship between corrective lenses and aging eyes as discussed in the passage.
