PSAT Reading Question 545: Answer and Explanation

Question: 545

As used in line 12, "staunch" most closely means

• A. strong.
• B. democratic.
• C. disloyal.
• D. mistaken.

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

(A) The first paragraph of the essay presents the viewpoint with which Anthony disagrees, namely that it is a good idea to have women identify with political parties rather than maintain a united front. The word "staunch" means "strong" in this context because the delegates are strongly supporting dividing female political efforts among different political parties. The other options fail to capture the intended meaning of the word and do not use commonly understood definitions of the word "staunch."