PSAT Reading Question 6: Answer and Explanation

Question: 6

The second paragraph of Passage 2 primarily serves to

• A. confirm the author's assertion that synthetic polymers are the most effective polymers for electrospinning.
• B. support the purist approach to polymer research in order to preserve the impeccable methods of scientific and medical study.
• C. assert that it is because there has been a huge spike in research on polymers that scientists have learned how flexible polymers are.
• D. acknowledge that both types of polymers have positive attributes that, when combined, may lead to even more effective electrospun scaffolds.

Correct Answer: D

Explanation:

The question asks for the purpose of the second paragraph of Passage 2. Read the second paragraph. The paragraph indicates that while synthetic polymers have clear benefits compared with natural polymers, the ability to blend…syntheticpolymers with…naturalpolymers is what makes electrospun scaffolds a promising technology with even more to discover. Eliminate answers that don't match this prediction. Eliminate (A) because it does not include the ability to blend synthetic polymers with natural polymers. Choice (B) is a Right Words, Wrong Meaning trap answer: the purist approach is mentioned, but the paragraph opposes it, saying it is important not to limit scientific or medical pursuit by a purist approach. Eliminate (B). Choice (C) is also a Right Words, Wrong Meaning trap: the paragraph says that the flexibility of polymer compositions caused a huge spike in research, but (C) says that the scientists learned how flexible polymers are as a result of a huge spike in research. Eliminate (C). Choice (D) matches the prediction because it says that both types of polymers…when combined may be even more effective. The correct answer is (D).