Synaesthesia
Does the number five smell like lemons? Is the sound of a flute purple? Does the letter "R" taste like cinnamon? These questions might seem strange, but to people with synaesthesia, they make perfect sense.
Synaesthesia is a neurological phenomenon where the senses get crossed. People with synaesthesia (also called "synaesthetes") experience this phenomenon in different ways. The most common form of synaesthesia is called color-graphemic synaesthesia. People who experience this form of synaesthesia associate letters and numbers with certain colors. For example, the letter "A" might always appear to be red and the number eight might always look blue. Another common form of synaesthesia is chromesthesia: the association of sounds with colors. Some people who experience this phenomenon see bursts of color when they hear everyday sounds, such as dogs barking or water dripping. Others associate specific colors with different musical notes.
Although scientists do not yet understand what causes some people to experience synaesthesia, some researchers argue for something called the cross-activation theory. This theory suggests that the regions of the brain responsible for interpreting information from the different senses have become "crossed," that is, the neurons from one sense inadvertently activate the neurons from another sense. There is also evidence to suggest that synaesthesia is a genetic trait. While there is no treatment for synaesthesia, there is also not much demand for a treatment; most synaesthetes report that they find their condition rather pleasant.
Which of the following sentences best expresses the author's opinion regarding synaesthesia?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This reflects the author's opinion, as it is stated, "While there is no treatment for synaesthesia, there is also not much demand for a treatment; most synaesthetes report that they find their condition rather pleasant." This supports the opinion that there is no pressing need to create a treatment because it is not in demand and people who are affected by it don't report a desire for it to be treated.
Synaesthesia is a rare neurological phenomenon in which the letters of the alphabet may appear backward or even upside-down is incorrect. The condition described here is known as dyslexia. In synaesthesia, one sense is confused with another.
Synaesthesia is an extremely rare neurological condition whose cause can never be known is incorrect.  Although the condition is indeed rare, the author does give one possible explanation of its cause.
The cross-activation theory does not explain the true cause of synaesthesia is incorrect. The author does not suggest that the cross-activation theory fails to explain the cause of the condition. He or she simply states that "some researchers argue for" the theory.

Synaesthesia Does the Number Five Smell Like Lemons? Is the Sound