PSAT Reading Question 97: Answer and Explanation

Question: 97

Based on the passage, which choice best describes the relationship between Nagel and Witten's and Yodh's research?

• A. Yodh's research challenges Nagel and Witten's.
• B. Yodh's research builds on Nagel and Witten's.
• C. Nagel and Witten's research contradicts Yodh's.
• D. Nagel and Witten's research supports Yodh's.

Correct Answer: B

Explanation:

B

The question asks for the relationship between Nagel and Witten's research and Yodh's research. Use the lead words Nagel and Witten to find the window in Passage 1. Lines 17–23 state that Nagel and Witten wrote an influential paper about this process in 1997, which focused mainly on suspended spherical particles, but it was not until the Yodh team's recent experiments that the surprising role played by suspended particle shape was discovered. Therefore, Yodh's research builds on Nagel and Witten's. Look for an answer choice that matches this prediction. Eliminate (A) because the passage does not indicate that Yodh's work in any way proved Nagel and Witten's work wrong. Rather, it indicates that Yodh's team tried things that the earlier team had not. Choice (B) matches the prediction, so keep it. Choices (C) and (D) contradict the passage—Nagel and Witten's research came before Yodh's. The correct answer is (B).