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The swinging flashlight test is the appropriate choice for comparing the direct and consensual responses of the pupil. This test involves shining a light alternately in each eye, allowing the practitioner to observe how each pupil reacts both to direct light (the pupil that the light is being shone into) and consensually (the opposite pupil).

When light is directed into one eye, that pupil constricts directly due to the light stimulus, while the other eye also constricts consensually due to the neural pathways connecting both optic nerves and the midbrain. By observing both responses, the clinician can assess for any discrepancies that may indicate specific neurological conditions or issues with the optic nerve or pathways.

The other options do not serve the same purpose as the swinging flashlight test. A pupil gauge test assesses size and shape of the pupils but does not evaluate their response to light. The direct light reflex test focuses only on the reaction of one pupil to light without comparison to the other. Pupillary response assessment is a broader term that can include several methods of testing but does not specifically address the comparison of direct and consensual responses like the swinging flashlight test does.