Digital PSAT Reading and Writing Practice Question 38: Answer and Explanation

Question: 38

Text 1

Some non-native plants are introduced to new territories accidentally via interregional soil and food trade. Accidental introduction of non-native organisms can often have negative and unforeseen consequences. For example, the Asian chestnut blight fungus was unexpectedly brought to the United States through the trade of plants; this fungus nearly wiped out the entire American chestnut population, harming many animals that depended on chestnuts for food.

Text 2

For the past fifty years, it has been the conventional credence of ecologists and biologists alike that invasive, non-native plant species are, without exception, detrimental to the host ecosystem. However, recent studies at Penn State University indicate that the eradication of invasive plants-specifically fruit-bearing shrubs-can do more harm than good for the native animal populations.

Based on the texts, how would the author of Text 2 describe the overall view presented in Text 1?

• A. Unusual
• B. Typical
• C. Unfounded
• D. Correct

Correct Answer: B

Explanation:

(B) Text 1 describes invasive plants as generally negative in their influence on the environment, which would align with the "conventional credence" that non-native species are detrimental. Conventional is close to typical in meaning, making choice (B) correct. It is not (A), because Text 2 would consider this text usual rather than unusual. To call it unfounded would be overly negative-Text 2 would most likely acknowledge that there are justifications to this viewpoint, although recent research has shown exceptions. It is not (D), because Text 2 argues that the general view in Text 1 is not completely correct.