Digital PSAT Reading and Writing Practice Question 60: Answer and Explanation

Question: 60

Their proposal held that objects that were in orbit around the sun (but not around another planet) ____________________ could be considered planets. Unfortunately, Pluto didn't meet these stipulations.

Which of these options best completes the text by elaborating on the topic of the sentence with the most specific detail?

• A. were quite large and had a resulting large amount of gravitation,
• B. were constituted of a great deal of mass and matter, and possessed sufficient gravitational pull to have a significant impact on their surroundings,
• C. had enough mass to become nearly round due to pressure, and had enough gravity to clear their orbit of any other bodies,
• D. had a tremendously large amount of mass, while enough gravity to be quite noticeable,

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

(C) The important part of this question is specificity: a choice is needed that provides the most relevant, logical, and specific information. Eliminate choices (A) and (D) for being far too general: they lack specific substance. Choice (B) manages to be lengthy and yet shallow at the same time. A great deal of mass and matter is the best example of this wordiness. Moreover, it still doesn't provide the specificity of choice (C), which wastes no words while still providing ample detail.