How will the right answer fit in terms of support and conclusion?

Only the right answer will accurately describe the support and conclusion.

Highlight the main conclusion in the passage, if there is one:

To point out that such a correlation is far from universal is insufficient reason to reject the researchers’ claim

[BACKGROUND]. [CONCLUSION], because [SUPPORT].

Map the wording of the answers to the wording of the passage:

(A) …to show that a correlation is universal

I like the first part about “the ambiguity of a word”, since that maps to the thing about “comprehension” in the passage. But this part messes up the argument, since the author says the “correlation is far from universal”.

(B) …universal psychological generalization…to support a claim about the use of gestures

You have a couple reasons not to like this one. First, the author only said “some people perceive” in the support, so the generalization isn’t “universal”. And the author technically isn’t supporting a claim about the use of gestures. The author’s claim isn’t about “gestures”, it’s about “insufficient reason to reject the researchers’ claim”. The researchers’ claim is about gestures. Tricky, but they expect you to catch that distinction.

(C) …reconcile a generalization with apparently disconfirming evidence.

All of this maps. The “psychological fact” is the thing about “comprehension”. The “generalization” is the researchers’ claim about gestures. The “apparently disconfirming evidence” is that the “correlation is far from universal”.

(D) advocating an explanation for a phenomenon…

Be careful, the author didn’t actually advocate for the researchers’ explanation. The argument only defends the explanation against being rejected. Saying there’s “insufficient reason to reject” something isn’t the same as “advocating” for it.

(E) …a widely accepted generalization…requires sill more supporting evidence

The author didn’t say anything is “widely accepted”, and they didn’t say anything about more evidence being required.

(C) is the correct answer.