PSAT Reading Question 7: Answer and Explanation

Question: 7

From the information presented in Passage 2, it can be inferred that

• A. history favors natural rather than synthetic designs.
• B. it is the man-made nature of synthetic polymers that accounts for their flexibility.
• C. the solubility of an electrospun scaffold depends more on its hydrophilicity than its hydrophobicity.
• D. synthetic polymers degrade more quickly over time than natural polymers.

Correct Answer: B

Explanation:

The question asks for an inference based on the information in Passage 2. Because there are no line references or lead words, do this question after the specific questions and use Process of Elimination. Choice (A) is a Right Words, Wrong Meaning trap answer: lines 67–71 state, Although it has historically been the case that natural polymers were favored…there is a growing trend toward using synthetic polymers; it does not say that history favors natural rather than synthetic designs. Eliminate (A). Lines 80–84 state, Because synthetic polymers can be created in laboratories…[they] can be engineered to address any particular clinical need. These lines support the statement in (B) that it is the man-made nature of synthetic polymers that accounts for their flexibility, so keep (B). Choice (C) is a Right Words, Wrong Meaning trap answer: lines 77–80 mention both the hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity in relation to the solubility of a polymer, but the passage does not indicate that one has more effect on solubility than the other. Eliminate (C). Lines 71–74 state, Synthetic polymers are used to enhance various characteristics of the drug delivery system goals including degradation time. This does not mean that synthetic polymers degrade more quickly than natural polymers, so eliminate (D). The correct answer is (B).