Chinchillas

Chinchillas are small rodents that are native to the Andes Mountains of South America. They are named after the Chincha people, who once made garments from the small animals' fur. Today, chinchillas are often bred in the United States and sold as pets.
In the wild, chinchillas eat fruits, seeds, plants, and small bugs, but domestic chinchillas are unable to digest these things. Chinchillas bred as pets eat hay and are kept in cages much like mice. Chinchillas also need lots of exercise in their habitat, and they need small chew toys to keep their teeth short. Chinchillas have also been used in research of the auditory, or hearing, system. Chinchillas are used as models for this research because their hearing ability is similar to that of humans. Scientists have studied chinchillas to learn how the cochlea, a structure in the inner ear, functions.
Which statement from the passage supports the idea that chinchillas are useful in science?
A. In the wild, chinchillas eat fruits, seeds, plants, and small bugs, but domestic chinchillas are unable to eat these things.
B. They are named after the Chincha people, who once made garments from the small animals' fur.
C. Chinchillas are used as models for this research because their hearing ability is similar to that of humans.
D. Chinchillas also need lots of exercise in their habitat, and they need small chew toys to keep their teeth short.