PSAT Writing and Language Question 349: Answer and Explanation

Question: 349

The writer is considering revising the underlined portion to the following.

Europe, including animals, monetary systems, and technologies.

Should the writer make this revision?

• A. Yes, because it gives details that further explain Marco Polo's everyday life in Asia.
• B. Yes, because it provides additional relevant information about what Marco Polo learned in his travels.
• C. No, because it doesn't fully explain how he communicated with people in Asia.
• D. No, because it provides information that is not related to the paragraph's focus on Kublai Khan.

Correct Answer: B

Explanation:

B

Note the question! The question asks whether a sentence should be revised, so it's testing consistency. If the content of the revised sentence is consistent with the ideas surrounding it, then it should be revised. The original sentence says He encountered many things that were unknown in Europe. The proposed revision includes the specific things that Marco Polo encountered, so the sentence should be revised to make it more precise; eliminate (C) and (D). The revision doesn't mention Polo's everyday life in Asia, so eliminate (A). The revision does give details about what Marco Polo learned in his travels. The correct answer is (B).