PSAT Writing and Language Question 304: Answer and Explanation

Question: 304

• A. NO CHANGE
• B. Antarctica’s
• C. their
• D. it’s

Correct Answer: B

Explanation:

Difficulty: Hard

Category: Agreement: Pronouns

Getting to the Answer: Always check underlined pronouns for ambiguity. In this case, the antecedent of the pronoun is unclear: although the writer is clearly describing qualities of Antarctica, the nearest antecedent is "Mars." After eliminating the pronouns that are ambiguous, you're left with (B), which correctly clarifies the intended location. Note that even if a pronoun in this location were not ambiguous, (C) would be incorrect because it is plural and (D) would be incorrect because it is the contraction of it is.