Digital PSAT Reading and Writing Practice Question 243: Answer and Explanation

Question: 243

Text 1

Many historians find that general trends tend to repeat themselves if you look far enough back through the records of humanity. It truly can be said that there is nothing new under the sun. Perhaps this is simply a function of how long humans have been around, but perhaps it also says something about just how similar all humans are, even across thousands of years.

Text 2

Studying fashion history is a lot like listening to remixes of your favorite songs. As you examine textiles from around the world and through time, you'll constantly see that most “new”fashions are just old ideas remade. And so, women's high-waisted shirts from the early 2000s weren't anything new or different: they were simply 18th-century empire-style gowns remixed for a new generation.

What best describes the relationship between the two texts?

• A. Text 2 provides a specific example to illustrate the broad claim made in Text 1.
• B. Text 2 presents arguments that are generally opposed to the primary position made in Text 1.
• C. Text 1 emphasizes a modern approach to the study of history, whereas Text 2 is more antiquated.
• D. Text 1 addresses the major objection to the study of history that is raised by Text 2.

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

A. Text 1 makes a broad claim about history tending to repeat itself, and text 2 uses the specific example of fashion history to make this point. It is not B, because the arguments are not opposed to one another. It is not C, because while Text 2 refers to older events, its approach is not necessarily antiquated. It is not D, because Text 2 does not raise an objection.