PSAT Reading Question 50: Answer and Explanation

Question: 50

As used in line 15, "tolerate" most nearly means

• A. permit.
• B. indulge.
• C. endure.
• D. ignore.

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

C

The question asks what the word tolerate most nearly means in line 15. Go back to the text, find the word tolerate, and highlight it. Then read the window carefully, using context clues to determine another word that would fit in the text. The text says that tardigrades can tolerate extreme environments that would kill almost any other animal. Therefore, tolerate must mean something like "survive." Permit does not match "survive," so eliminate (A). Indulge does not match "survive," so eliminate (B). Endure matches "survive," so keep (C). Ignore does not match "survive," so eliminate (D). Note that (A), (B), and (D) are Could Be True trap answers based on other meanings of tolerate that are not supported by the text. The correct answer is (C).