PSAT Writing and Language Question 238: Answer and Explanation

Question: 238

What purpose does this sentence serve?

• A. It is adding emphasis that there is a lot to do before even beginning the climb.
• B. It is a rhetorical strategy to continue describing what climbers must do before getting to the peak.
• C. It is stressing the serious tone of the passage.
• D. It does not serve any purpose as it is restating the passage.

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

A. While parts of the passage are serious, it is an informative passage. The sentence adds emphasis to the main idea that climbing Mount Everest is difficult by explicitly writing that all of the details described so far must occur before even starting. See Lesson: Author's Purpose and Point of View.