Correct Answer: A layered approach to reducing sports brain injury
Passage Reference: added layer, not a helmet replacement
Why this is correct: Many layers of protection appear: helmets, the collar as an “added layer”, less contact, education and good fitting. A title about layers covers all of them.
Tips: A good title fits the whole text, not one small part. Check that it covers most of the people and ideas.
Why the other options are wrong:
- A neck collar that replaces the hockey helmet: Fisher says the collar is “not a helmet replacement.” Helmets also “remain essential.”
- Why parents should keep children out of hockey: Nobody tells parents to stop their children playing. Everyone talks about making hockey safer.
- Why hockey leagues must ban bodychecking now: Nobody asks for a ban. Rahman only wants teams to keep reducing contact in practice.
Correct Answer: external gear has limits, so an internal add-on may help
Passage Reference: they do not stop the brain from moving inside the skull That limit led University of Toronto anesthesiologist Dr. Joseph Fisher and colleagues to design the Q-Collar
Why this is correct: Helmets cannot stop the brain moving inside the skull. That limit led Fisher to design the collar, so Fisher sees it as an extra layer that helps.
Tips: For “likely to agree” questions, use everything the text says about that person. Reject options that go against any of it.
Why the other options are wrong:
- the collar should replace helmets once more trials are done: Fisher stresses that the collar is an added layer, not a helmet replacement.
- the collar alone makes rough body contact safe: Fisher agrees that behaviour and coaching still matter most. The collar alone cannot make rough play safe.
- parents should ignore research and trust their coaches instead: Fisher designed the collar and studies it. A researcher would not tell parents to ignore research.
Correct Answer: new gear must not become a permission slip for harder hits
Passage Reference: not a permission slip for harder hits
Why this is correct: Rahman says, “Promising trials are not a permission slip for harder hits.” New gear must not become an excuse for rougher play.
Tips: A “warning” is usually in a sentence with “not” or “caution”. Find that sentence near the person’s name.
Why the other options are wrong:
- trials already prove that harder hits are fine with the collar: Rahman says the opposite. Good trial results do not make harder hits acceptable.
- helmets are useless once players start wearing the new collar: Rahman never says helmets are useless. The text says helmets remain essential.
- parents should stop reading studies and trust the equipment makers: Rahman welcomes research. She would not tell parents to stop reading studies.
Correct Answer: read the research rather than expect miracles
Passage Reference: read the studies rather than chase miracles
Why this is correct: Bighill has worn the collar. He tells parents to “read the studies rather than chase miracles.”
Tips: When a text says “X rather than Y”, the advice is X. An option that says Y is a trap.
Why the other options are wrong:
- chase miracle products that promise to end concussions: Bighill says the reverse. Parents should read the studies and not chase miracles.
- remove helmets in practice once they buy a collar: Bighill will keep wearing both the collar and the helmet. He would not tell parents to drop helmets.
- wait for a cheaper collar before buying one: Waiting for better prices is Okeke’s plan. Bighill says nothing about cost.
Correct Answer: whether every player can afford the device
Passage Reference: whether community leagues can afford devices
Why this is correct: Okeke is careful about money. She asks whether community leagues can afford devices for every player.
Tips: A describing word like “cost-conscious” tells you the topic of the concern. Pick the option on that topic.
Why the other options are wrong:
- whether Fisher should stop the collar research: Okeke says she is “intrigued” by the collar. Okeke never asks for the work to stop.
- whether helmets themselves cause brain injuries: Nobody says helmets cause injuries. Okeke’s question is about money.
- whether the collar feels comfortable in games: Comfort is never discussed. Okeke wants to know if leagues can pay.
Correct Answer: gently compressing the neck veins
Passage Reference: By gently compressing neck veins, it slightly raises blood volume in the skull
Why this is correct: Look at the first paragraph. The collar works “by gently compressing neck veins”, which raises blood volume in the skull a little.
Tips: For “how does it work” blanks, look for the word “by” in the text. The action after it is usually the answer.
Why the other options are wrong:
- cooling the back of the head: Cooling is never mentioned. The collar presses on the neck veins.
- stiffening the neck muscles: The collar presses on veins. Nothing says it makes the neck muscles stiffer.
- tightening the helmet straps: The collar sits around the neck and is separate from the helmet. It does not touch the straps.
Correct Answer: behaviour and coaching culture
Passage Reference: Fisher agrees that behaviour and coaching culture still matter most
Why this is correct: The inventor is Fisher. Near the end, Fisher agrees that behaviour and coaching culture still matter most.
Tips: The comment may name a person by their role, like “the inventor”. Work out who that is before you search.
Why the other options are wrong:
- helmet design and padding: Fisher made the collar because helmets have limits. Fisher never says helmet design matters most.
- price and supply: Price is Okeke’s worry. It is not what Fisher says matters most.
- trial results and data: Rahman and Bighill talk about trials and studies. Fisher puts behaviour and coaching first.
Correct Answer: mandatory education sessions
Passage Reference: Rahman wants mandatory education sessions before any league endorses new equipment
Why this is correct: Rahman wants mandatory education sessions before any league endorses new equipment. That is the step the commenter says may slow things down.
Tips: Match the time words. “Before any league signs on” in the comment matches “before any league endorses” in the text.
Why the other options are wrong:
- another season of trials: Rahman likes research, but her condition for leagues is education sessions, not more trials.
- a vote by every parent: No vote appears anywhere in the text. Rahman asks for education sessions.
- cheaper devices for families: Cost is Okeke’s worry. Rahman’s condition is about learning, not price.
Correct Answer: wearing the collar and the helmet
Passage Reference: Bighill says he will keep wearing the collar and the helmet
Why this is correct: Bighill says he will keep wearing the collar and the helmet. So the habit is to wear both together.
Tips: Look for words like “keep” or “will” to find what a person actually does. The comment calls this a “habit”.
Why the other options are wrong:
- wearing the collar only in games: Nothing says Bighill wears the collar only in games. Bighill wears both pieces of gear.
- dropping the helmet for practice: Bighill does not give up the helmet at any time. Bighill says he will keep wearing it.
- switching to a lighter helmet: A lighter helmet is never mentioned. Bighill keeps the same gear.
Correct Answer: a simple fitting checklist for trainers
Passage Reference: Ortiz is drafting a simple fitting checklist for trainers
Why this is correct: Look at the final sentence. Ortiz is drafting a simple fitting checklist for trainers, and the commenter wants coaches to use it.
Tips: When the comment says “someone’s idea”, check that person’s plan in the last paragraph. Match the exact thing they are making.
Why the other options are wrong:
- skipping the fitting steps entirely: Ortiz says a badly fitted collar helps no one. The idea is careful fitting, not skipping it.
- longer full-contact drills each week: Ortiz works on fitting and never suggests more contact drills. Rahman even wants less contact.
- a price list for community leagues: Prices are Okeke’s concern. Ortiz is working on a checklist for fitting.
