What slows with every glance from the text to the reference caption?

• A. References
• B. Reading speed
• C. Memory
• D. Comprehension

Answer: (A)

When you move your gaze from the text to the reference caption, your reading pace slows because you pause to locate and verify the cited source. This back-and-forth task adds cognitive load as you re-anchor to the reference details (author, title, year, etc.) and relate them to what you just read. With each glance, that cross-checking takes time, so the overall tempo drops.

The other options describe broader effects: reading speed is the general pace of reading, not the specific slowdown caused by cross-referencing; memory and comprehension are involved in processing sources, but the moment-to-moment slowdown you observe comes from engaging with the references themselves.