PSAT Reading Question 594: Answer and Explanation

Question: 594

The information in the figure would most likely result from a medical practitioner doing which of the following actions mentioned in the passage?

• A. Use garlic and other spices for medicinal purposes (lines 5–6)
• B. Develop and release new medicines (lines 15–16)
• C. Perform a culture and sensitivity test (lines 61–62)
• D. Better educate patients on proper use of antibiotics (lines 97–98)

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

(C) Lines 61–62 mention a "culture and sensitivity test," and the preceding lines define this test as one used to "identify the specific microorganism causing the infection as well as the best antibiotic for treatment." In lines 66–67, the author states that the primary determinant of these two is the "zone of inhibition." The figure shows the results of antibiotic testing on specific microorganisms and includes data on the zone of inhibition. Choice (C), then, is the best answer.