PSAT Reading Question 29: Answer and Explanation

Question: 29

Which choice best reflects the overall structure of the passage?

• A. An overview of an observed behavior is followed by two hypotheses that attempt to explain the behavior.
• B. A discussion of a perceived scientific truth is followed by an alternative model.
• C. The results of two experiments are followed by a description of the two experiments.
• D. An outcome of a study is followed by an extension of the outcome to another field.

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

C

The question asks about the overall structure of the passage. Since this is a general question, it should be answered after the specific questions. The passage begins by summarizing and describing the results of two experiments that address higher-order visual perception in mice. The following paragraphs describe those experiments in more detail. Eliminate answers that don't match this prediction. Though the first paragraph does contain an overview of the experiments and their results, the rest of the text does not discuss two hypotheses. Eliminate (A). Choice (B) uses ideas from the passage but answers the wrong question: the last sentence of the first paragraph presents a perceived scientific truth (that mice were thought to be non-visual) and then an alternative conclusion based on the experiments described. However, this only describes the structure of the end of the first paragraph, not that of the whole passage. Eliminate (B). Keep (C) because it matches the prediction. Eliminate (D), which is a Mostly Right, Slightly Wrong trap answer: the beginning of the passage does describe the outcome of a study, but this is not followed by an extension of the outcome to another field. The correct answer is (C).