Studies have shown that elderly people who practice a religion are much more likely to die immediately after animportant religious holiday period than immediately before one. Researchers have concluded that the will to livecan prolong life, at least for short periods of time.

Which of the following, if true, would most strengthen the researchers' conclusion?

• AElderly people who practice a religion are less likely to die immediately before or during an important religious holiday than at any other time of the year.  
• BElderly people who practice a religion appear to experience less anxiety at the prospect of dying than do other people.  
• CSome elderly people who do practice a religion live much longer than most elderly people who do not.  
• DMost elderly people who participate in religious holidays have different reasons for participating than young people do.  
• EMany religions have important holidays in the spring and fall, seasons with the lowest death rates for elderly people.