PSAT Reading Question 60: Answer and Explanation

Question: 60

Information in the passage suggests that John Marcher and May Bertram are

• A. comforting one another over mistakes made during the previous ten years.
• B. trusting one another with sensitive personal information.
• C. reminiscing about former times and conversations.
• D. expressing their true feelings for one another.

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

C

This question asks about what the passage suggests about John Marcher and May Bertram's conversation. Because this is the first question in a paired set, it can be done in tandem with Q4. Consider the answers for Q4 first. In the lines for (4A), May Bertram says, "…you told me something I've never forgotten…it was that tremendously hot day when we went to Sorrento," recalling a past conversation with John Marcher. Look to see whether these lines support any of the answers for Q3; they support (3C), which says they are reminiscing about former times and conversations. Draw a line connecting these two answers. The lines for (4B) don't support any of the answers for Q3, so eliminate (4B). The lines for (4C) discuss John feeling embarrassed and May feeling sorry for him. Choice (3B) is a Could Be True trap answer, since sharing personal information might make someone embarrassed, but John and May are discussing a conversation they had years before, not sharing new information. Therefore, the lines in (4C) don't support any of the answers in Q3, so eliminate (4C). The lines in (4D) don't support any of the answers in Q3, so eliminate (4D). Without any support from Q4, (3A), (3B), and (3D) can be eliminated. The correct answers are (3C) and (4A).