19/10/2026
Read the passage and answer the following SAT style Bright Prep practice questions.
Babies born smaller than expected may be more likely to perform less well academically during their teenage years, according to a new study.
Researchers from the University of Warwick and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health followed 92,551 children in Norway from infancy through adolescence. All participants were born at full term, between 37 and 41 weeks of pregnancy.
The findings revealed that children who were smaller than average for their s*x and stage of pregnancy tended to achieve lower scores in school subjects such as mathematics and reading. These differences remained noticeable into adolescence, suggesting that birth size may have a lasting association with educational achievement.
Professor Dieter Wolke explained that being smaller than expected at birth could indicate adverse effects on brain development, potentially influencing learning abilities later in life. However, he emphasised that positive parenting, a stimulating home environment and additional school support could help reduce these effects.
Professor Siobhan Quenby also stressed that being born smaller than expected does not necessarily mean a child will experience learning difficulties. Nevertheless, the findings highlight the importance of monitoring babies' growth and providing appropriate developmental support.
The researchers also investigated whether being born slightly earlier, at 37 to 38 weeks of pregnancy, affected children's language and motor development.
They assessed these abilities at approximately six months, 18 months, three years and five years of age.
Children born at 37 to 38 weeks generally showed slightly weaker language and movement skills during early childhood compared with those born later. However, these differences had largely disappeared by the time they reached school age.
According to Professor Quenby, the results provide reassurance that babies born at a normal or above-average size for their stage of pregnancy are unlikely to experience lasting developmental disadvantages simply because they arrive a few weeks before their due date.
The research also examined national school assessment results in mathematics, reading and English, including tests taken when children were approximately 10โ11, 13โ14 and 14โ15 years old.
Conducted by researchers at the University of Warwick, the PsychGen Centre at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and collaborating Norwegian institutions, the study was published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Overall, the findings emphasise the importance of monitoring fetal growth and ensuring that children who may be at greater risk of developmental or educational difficulties receive timely support.
Question 1: Central Idea
Which choice best states the main idea of the passage?
A. Babies born before 39 weeks of pregnancy are more likely to experience permanent learning difficulties.
B. Children born smaller than expected may experience lasting academic challenges, although appropriate support could help reduce these effects.
C. Birth weight is the most important factor in determining a child's future academic success.
D. Children born at full term generally perform better academically than children born prematurely.
Question 2: Command of Evidence
Which finding from the study best supports the conclusion that birth size may have long-term effects on academic performance?
A. Researchers examined children at six months and 18 months of age.
B. Children born at 37 to 38 weeks showed slightly weaker motor skills during early childhood.
C. Children born smaller than expected continued to achieve lower academic scores during adolescence.
D. More than 92,000 children participated in the Norwegian study.
Question 3: Words in Context
As used in the passage, the word "adverse" most nearly means:
A. Unexpected
B. Temporary
C. Harmful
D. Significant
Question 4: Inference
Based on the passage, which conclusion would the researchers most likely agree with?
A. All children born smaller than expected will eventually develop learning difficulties.
B. Delivering a baby at 37 weeks always negatively affects brain development.
C. Academic performance is determined entirely by conditions experienced before birth.
D. Environmental factors, including parenting and educational support, may influence the development of children born smaller than expected.
Question 5: Purpose of Research
Why did researchers compare children born at 37โ38 weeks with those born later?
A. To investigate whether being born slightly earlier affects language and motor development.
B. To determine whether smaller babies require longer hospital stays.
C. To establish the ideal birth weight for all newborn babies.
D. To prove that children born at 41 weeks perform better in mathematics.
Question 6: Interpreting Data
The researchers found that children born at 37โ38 weeks initially demonstrated slightly poorer language and motor skills, but these differences became minimal by school age.
Which conclusion is best supported by this finding?
A. Early developmental differences always predict academic performance in adolescence.
B. Children born earlier require specialised education throughout their school years.
C. Some developmental differences associated with earlier delivery may diminish as children grow older.
D. Language development is unrelated to the stage of pregnancy at which a child is born.
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