PSAT Reading Question 255: Answer and Explanation

Question: 255

In Passage 1, the speaker most clearly implies that one reason that the military draft is harmful to American society is that it may

• A. give citizens a false sense of hope.
• B. reduce the public's trust in the government.
• C. draw criticism from the nation's allies.
• D. encourage men to find safety in other countries.

Correct Answer: B

Explanation:

The question asks what the speaker in Passage 1 implies about a reason that the military draft is harmful to American society. Since there is no line reference, use lead words and the order of the questions to find the window. Q26 is the first specific question, so the window is likely near the beginning of the passage. Scan the first paragraph of Passage 1, looking for the lead words military draft. Lines 3–6 indicate that the military draft mentioned in line 7 causes a weakening of our social fiber and the undermining of the individual's faith in his Government and his hope for his future. Eliminate answers that don't match this prediction. Eliminate (A), which is a Right Words, Wrong Meaning trap answer: the passage says that the military draft undermines (weakens) a person's hope for his future; it does not say that the draft gives a person a false sense of hope. Keep (B) because the phrase reduce the public's trust in the government matches undermining of the individual's faith in his Government. Eliminate (C) because the passage does not discuss the nation's allies. Eliminate (D), which is a Could Be True trap answer: you may know that some people left the United States because of the draft, but this fact is not included in the passage. The correct answer must be supported by the text. The correct answer is (B).