PSAT Reading Question 271: Answer and Explanation

Question: 271

According to the passage, while the kite is falling, there is a sound of

• A. wind whipping the kite's fabric.
• B. Hassan calling out to the narrator.
• C. the group of competitors coming closer.
• D. parents cheering for their children.

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

C

The question asks what sound is heard while the kite is falling. Since there is no line reference, use lead words and the order of the questions to find the window for the question. The answers for questions 6 and 7 came from lines 50–51, so the window for Q8 is most likely after those lines. Beginning with line 52, look for information about the kite falling and a sound. Lines 55–57 state, I looked up, saw the kite plummeting toward us. I heard footfalls, shouts, an approaching melee of kite runners. The sounds being described come from the approaching group of competitors. Eliminate answers that don't match the prediction. Eliminate (A) as the paragraph does not mention the wind. Eliminate (B): although Hassan calls out to the narrator earlier in the passage, he does not call out to the narrator while the kite is falling. This is a Right Answer, Wrong Question trap answer. Keep (C) as it matches the prediction. Choice (D) can be eliminated because the sound of parents cheering is mentioned in the first paragraph, but it does not occur while the kite is falling. This is another Right Answer, Wrong Question trap answer. The correct answer is (C).