The claim that 'the pattern seems still to be the case thirty years later' most directly supports which assertion?

• A. A complete shift toward gender equality.
• B. Persistence of women bearing the main childcare burden.
• C. Men have stopped helping with childcare.
• D. Childcare responsibilities are now mainly borne by the state.

Answer: (B)

The main idea being tested is whether the gendered division of childcare has stayed the same over time. If the claim says the pattern still seems to be the case thirty years later, it points to the continuation of who is responsible for most childcare in households. That’s why it directly supports the idea that women continue to bear the main childcare burden. The other options imply a change or reversal that isn’t indicated by a statement about persistence of the pattern: there isn’t evidence of a complete shift to gender equality, men ceasing to help, or the state taking on most childcare.