PSAT Reading Question 288: Answer and Explanation

Question: 288

Which idea from the passage is supported by the information in the graphs?

• A. Herbivorous fish eat different types of seaweed.
• B. Certain types of herbivorous fish are affected by the presence of humans.
• C. Herbivorous fish perform different functional roles in coral reefs.
• D. Conservation of herbivorous fish has increased their populations.

Correct Answer: B

Explanation:

B

The question asks which idea from the passage is supported by the information in the graphs. Work through each answer choice using the figures. Eliminate (A), as different types of seaweed are not mentioned in either figure. Choice (B) states, Certain types of herbivorous fish are affected by the presence of humans. Human presence is measured on the horizontal axis of figure 1, and the graph shows that as the number of humans increases, the number of browsers and parrotfishes generally declines. The idea in (B) also appears in the passage, which mentions fishing as causing widespread reductions in herbivorous fish populations. Keep (B). Eliminate (C) because neither figure measures different functional roles in coral reefs. The figures do not measure the relationship between conservation and fish populations, so eliminate (D). The correct answer is (B).