Inference from Text Practice Test

A museum conservation lab tested two varnish-removal solvents on a set of 18th-century oil paintings with similar varnish composition. Solvent X removed varnish quickly but, under ultraviolet examination, left faint residues in micro-cracks that required a secondary cleaning step. Solvent Y removed varnish more slowly but left no detectable residue and did not require additional cleaning. When the lab calculated total treatment time, paintings treated with Solvent X took slightly longer on average because the secondary step was time-consuming, though the initial removal was faster. The lab also tracked pigment stability by measuring color shifts before and after treatment; both solvents produced shifts within the lab’s acceptable threshold, but Solvent X showed greater variability across paintings. The lab director must recommend a default solvent for routine use when staff time is limited and minimizing process complexity is a priority.

The passage suggests which of the following?

Read the passage and answer the question.

A political scientist studied the effects of open primary elections on candidate ideology in several states. In states that adopted open primaries, the average ideological score of winning candidates moved slightly toward the center over the next three election cycles. However, the shift was concentrated in competitive districts; in districts where one party routinely won by large margins, the average ideology of winners changed little. The researcher also found that turnout among self-identified independents rose modestly after open primaries were introduced, while turnout among strong partisans remained roughly stable. The study cautioned that district competitiveness can shape which voters campaigns prioritize.

The passage suggests which of the following?