Anthropologist Dr. Richard Kim studies food traditions and argues that cooking practices are passed down through generations more reliably than other cultural knowledge. He suggests that the sensory experience of cooking—smells, tastes, and textures—creates stronger memories than verbal instruction alone.
Which observation would best support Kim's claim about sensory memory in cooking traditions?
Professional chefs train for many years
Third-generation immigrants could accurately recreate ancestral recipes they learned as children, but struggled to remember family stories told at the same age
Many countries have national dishes that are recognized internationally
Cookbooks have been published for centuries
Correct Answer: B
Choice B is the best answer. Directly compares sensory (cooking) vs verbal (stories), showing cooking memories persist better.
- Context clues: Kim claims cooking creates "stronger memories than verbal instruction."
- Evidence evaluation: Same people remember cooking but not stories from the same age.
- Verify: This is a controlled comparison within individuals.
💡 Strategy: Claims comparing X to Y need evidence showing X > Y in the same context.
Choice A is incorrect because chef training doesn't compare sensory to verbal memory. Choice C is incorrect because dish recognition doesn't prove generational transmission. Choice D is incorrect because cookbook existence doesn't prove sensory memory advantage.