Final answer:
Becca would likely perform the best on the exam due to the benefits of the testing effect, which enhances memory retention more than studying alone as Dan did, while Ruth and Bryan would perform worse in comparison.
Step-by-step explanation:
Considering what we know about testing and the effectiveness of different study strategies, the most accurate statement is B. Becca would perform better than Dan and both Dan and Becca would perform substantially better than Ruth and Bryan. The act of testing oneself, as Becca did, is known as the testing effect and it has been shown to improve memory retention and test performance compared to simply studying or reading the material. This is because active recall during self-testing strengthens the memory trace and helps in retrieving the information during an exam. Therefore, Becca, who continued to test herself beyond the point of feeling prepared, would likely have the strongest performance. Dan, who kept studying but did not test himself, would perform better than Ruth and Bryan but not as well as Becca, given the additional benefits of the testing effect. Ruth studied and tested herself but stopped once she felt prepared, which would likely result in a better performance than Bryan, who only read the material. However, both Ruth and Bryan would generally perform less well than Becca and Dan. Consequently, statement B is the most accurate given the described scenarios and our understanding of effective study techniques.