PSAT Reading Question 446: Answer and Explanation

Question: 446

As used in line 7, "want" most closely means

• A. desire.
• B. obstacle.
• C. lack.
• D. command.

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

(C) In lines 6–8, Douglass validates his distress at not having access to his own basic personal information. If you replace "want" with absence, you can see that choice (C) is appropriate. Although choice (A) might be tempting, read the sentence with obstacle substituted for "want." You'll quickly see that the desire for information is not what produced unhappiness but that the need was denied. It isn't appropriate to say the "obstacle" or "command" of information produced unhappiness.