PSAT Reading Question 100: Answer and Explanation

Question: 100

What does Passage 2 most strongly suggest about the coffee ring effect?

• A. It generates many studies on ways to thwart it.
• B. It sends microscopic particles into a whirlwind.
• C. It can be eliminated with the use of surfactants.
• D. It has various industrial applications.

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

A

The question asks what Passage 2 most strongly suggests about the coffee ring effect. Notice that this is the first question in a paired set, so it can be done in tandem with Q44. Look at the answer choices for Q44 first. The lines for (44A) say that researchers…have now discovered how to counteract coffee rings. Check the answers for Q43; none of the answers are supported by those lines, so eliminate (44A). The lines for (44B) state that the key to the discovery was…a bacterium that counteracts the coffee ring effect; these lines don't support any of the statements about the coffee-ring effect in Q43, so eliminate (44B). The lines for (44C) say that the coffee-ring effect can also be seen in liquids with particles of other materials such as plastic and wood. These lines don't provide support for any of the answers in Q43, so eliminate (44C). The lines for (44D) say that the coffee ring effect can be particularly troublesome and scientists have long been seeking ways to counteract it. These lines support (43A). Draw a line connecting (43A) and (44D). Without any support from the answers in Q44, (43B), (43C), and (43D) can be eliminated. The correct answers are (43A) and (44D).