PSAT Writing and Language Question 101: Answer and Explanation

Question: 101

Which of the following would most effectively conclude this paragraph by introducing the main subject of the essay as a whole?

• A. It takes a real music connoisseur to know who was famous before Elvis Presley.
• B. Most of the best-known names from the 1930s and 1940s are those of jazz singers.
• C. One of these greats was Jimmie Rodgers, one of the first megastars of country music.
• D. Some of the greats were Robert Johnson, Mississippi John Hurt, and Jimmie Rodgers.

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

C

Note the question! The question asks which choice would most effectively conclude this paragraph by introducing the main subject of the essay as a whole. Determine the subject of the paragraph and find the answer that is consistent with that idea. The paragraph says that the early days of recorded music can be hazy, but there is a treasure trove of recorded music from that era. The next paragraph describes the life of Jimmie Rodgers. The concluding sentence should introduce Jimmie Rodgers. Eliminate (A) and (B) because they do not mention Jimmie Rodgers. Keep (C) because it introduces Jimmie Rodgers. For (D), scan the rest of the passage. It only discusses Jimmie Rodgers and not any of the other musicians mentioned in (D), so mentioning those musicians wouldn't introduce the main subject of the essay. Eliminate (D). The correct answer is (C).