Read the following statement about drinking behaviour among U.S. fraternity and sorority members and answer the question that follows. According to a recent study in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviours, U.S. fraternity and sorority members who drink heavily while in school do not tend to drink heavily after graduation. Which of the following options would be a logical extension of this passage, explaining why this pattern may occur?

Introduction / Context:
This is a critical reasoning question asking for a logical extension of a short passage. The passage states a research finding about U.S. fraternity and sorority members: those who drink heavily while in school do not tend to drink heavily after graduation. A logical extension is a statement that naturally continues the line of reasoning or offers a plausible explanation consistent with the given fact, without introducing unrelated or overly broad claims.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Study finding: Fraternity and sorority members who drink heavily in school usually do not continue heavy drinking after graduation.
• Option A: Most men end a drinking binge after they cross thirty.
• Option B: Graduation brings a sense of responsibility that makes students avoid such vices.
• Option C: Drinking begins as a group activity, and as students leave these groups, the habit of drinking is also left behind.
• Option D: Heavy drinking during college makes most students realize the harmful effects of alcohol.
• We seek the option that directly connects the college group context to the reduction in heavy drinking after college.

Concept / Approach:
The passage emphasises two elements: heavy drinking and the specific environment of fraternities and sororities. These are social groups where drinking is strongly influenced by peer behaviour and group culture. A strong logical extension will usually highlight this group influence and show how its disappearance after graduation can explain the observed change in drinking behaviour. Options that talk about age in general, vague responsibility, or generic learning from harm may be plausible, but they are less tightly linked to the group-based nature of fraternity and sorority life.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Examine option A. It speaks about men reducing drinking after they cross thirty years of age. The passage, however, specifically focuses on the transition from being in school to after graduation, not on age thirty. Many graduates are in their early or mid twenties, so this statement is not closely aligned with the passage.Step 2: Examine option B. It claims that graduation brings a sense of responsibility which makes students avoid vices like heavy drinking. While this might be partially true, it is generic and does not mention fraternities, sororities, or the group influence that the passage highlights.Step 3: Examine option C. It explicitly states that drinking begins as a group activity and that, as students leave these specific groups, they leave the habit behind. This matches the passage very closely: fraternities and sororities are exactly such groups, and leaving them at graduation would naturally reduce the group driven drinking behaviour.Step 4: Examine option D. It says heavy drinking makes most students realize the harmful effects of alcohol. While this can explain why some people might stop drinking heavily, it does not tie in the fraternity and sorority context. It also introduces a new claim about learning from harm, which the passage does not mention.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify the best extension, ask which option you could add as the next sentence in the passage so that the paragraph reads smoothly and remains focused on fraternity and sorority culture. Adding option C creates a coherent continuation: heavy drinking is common while in these social groups, and once students graduate and leave the groups, the context that encouraged heavy drinking disappears, so their drinking reduces. Options A, B, and D either shift the focus to age, general responsibility, or health realization, all of which are not specifically rooted in fraternity or sorority dynamics.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A generalizes about men and a particular age threshold, which is neither mentioned nor implied in the study. Option B is too broad and attributes reduced drinking solely to responsibility after graduation; it does not explain why the effect is especially noticeable among fraternity and sorority members. Option D introduces an assumption that heavy drinking itself teaches a lesson through harmful effects, which the passage does not support, and it still ignores the group based nature of the original observation.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake in such questions is to select an option that feels morally satisfying, such as the idea that students learn from harm, rather than focusing on logical fit. Another pitfall is to pick an option that is plausible in real life but not tightly connected to the specific details of the passage. Always pay attention to any special groups or conditions mentioned, like fraternities and sororities here, and prefer options that directly leverage those details.

Final Answer:
The most appropriate logical extension is that drinking begins as a group activity and as students leave these groups, the habit of drinking is also left behind, which corresponds to option C.