PSAT Reading Question 253: Answer and Explanation

Question: 253

Which choice best supports the idea that human responses to music can be tracked by measuring specific types of brain activity?

• A. Lines 61–64 ("It turns…song")
• B. Lines 65–67 ("So why…experiences")
• C. Lines 67–71 ("Depending…says")
• D. Lines 72–74 ("Whether you…have")

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

The question asks for the best support for the idea that human responses to music can be tracked by measuring specific types of brain activity. Use the line references given in the answer choices to find a statement that supports this idea. The lines for (A) say that certain connections among brain areas could predict how much a participant was willing to spend on a given song. Since the amount that a participant was willing to spend on a song was an indication of how much that participant liked the song, this choice supports the idea that human responses to music can be tracked by measuring brain activity. Keep (A). The lines for (B) say that a person's musical preference depends on the person's past musical experiences. This choice does not discuss brain activity, so eliminate (B). The lines for (C) say that different musical genres follow different sets of rules, and these genre-rule connections are all implicitly recorded in your brain. Likewise, (D) says that a listener is constantly activating memorized genre-rule connections by listening to music. While both choices either mention or refer to the brain, neither discusses how brain activity leads to musical preference. Eliminate (C) and (D). The correct answer is (A).