PSAT Reading Question 14: Answer and Explanation

Question: 14

The passage suggests which of the following about Manderson's death?

• A. Its cause was unknown, but news of it spread quickly throughout the financial world.
• B. It served as a reminder that financial prosperity is not more valuable than health.
• C. It had a greater impact on Manderson's business connections than on his personal connections.
• D. It occurred when Manderson was only thirty years old, at a time when many distrusted him.

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

C

This question asks what the passage suggests about Manderson's death. Notice that it's the first question in a paired set, so it can be done in tandem with Q5. Look at the answers for Q5 first. The lines for (5A) say that when Manderson was killed, the world lost nothing worth a single tear. These lines don't support any of the answers for Q4, so eliminate (5A). The lines in (5B) say that his death was a harsh reminder of the vanity of such wealth and that even though he didn't have one loyal friend to mourn him, the news of his death caused those living in the great vortices of business to feel as if the earth…shuddered under a blow. These lines support (4C), so draw a line to connect those two answer choices. The lines in (5C) don't reference Manderson's death at all, and therefore do not support any of the answers for Q4. Eliminate (5C). The lines in (5D) discuss Manderson's change after his father's death, which doesn't support any of the answers for Q4. Without support from Q5, (4A), (4B), and (4D) can be eliminated. The correct answers are (4C) and (5B).