PSAT Reading Question 388: Answer and Explanation

Question: 388

It can reasonably be inferred that the author's overall stance on the existence of the Higgs boson particle is

• A. studied neutrality.
• B. a strong belief in its existence.
• C. ignorant confusion.
• D. a strong skepticism about its existence.

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

(A) The author presents a wide range of viewpoints on the plausibility of the existence of the Higgs boson particle and concludes the essay by stating that the world will find out relatively soon whether the Higgs boson exists. So this could best be described as "studied neutrality." The author clearly understands the subject matter well and has adopted a wait-and-see attitude rather than jumping to a conclusion. Choices (B) and (D) are too extreme. Given the author's in-depth analysis of the current status of particle physics, his stance could hardly be described as one of ignorant confusion as stated in choice (C).