PSAT Writing and Language Question 26: Answer and Explanation

Question: 26

At this point, the author is considering adding the following true statement:

A 2015 study showed that over two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese.

Should the writer make this addition here?

• A. Yes, because the essay as a whole has very little hard statistical data like this.
• B. Yes, because the obesity rate shows that TV was truly a destructive medium.
• C. No, because the mention of these statistics is cruel to those who are overweight.
• D. No, because the essay as a whole is focused on a different subject.

Correct Answer: D

Explanation:

Note the question! The question asks whether a sentence should be added, so it tests consistency. If the content of the new sentence is consistent with the ideas surrounding it, then it should be added. The paragraph discusses historical arguments that were made to protest too much time in front of the television. The new sentence gives a statistic about how many American adults are overweight or obese, so it is not consistent with the ideas in the text. Therefore, the new sentence is not consistent with the ideas in the text and should not be added. Eliminate (A) and (B). Eliminate (C) because whether the mention of these statistics is cruel is not relevant to the paragraph. Keep (D) because it accurately states that the essay as a whole is focused on a different subject. The correct answer is (D).