PSAT Writing and Language Question 353: Answer and Explanation

Question: 353

• A. NO CHANGE
• B. including—
• C. including:
• D. including;

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

A

Punctuation is changing in the answer choices, so this question is testing STOP, HALF-STOP, and GO punctuation. Use the Vertical Line Test and identify the ideas as complete or incomplete. Draw the vertical line between the words including and cartography. The first part of the sentence, While it may never be known exactly what Polo's original manuscript said, his influence lives on in many areas, including, is an incomplete idea. The second part, cartography, currency, and exploration, is an incomplete idea. To connect an incomplete idea to an incomplete idea, GO punctuation is needed. Keep (A) because no punctuation is GO punctuation. Eliminate (B) and (C) because a single dash and a colon are HALF-STOP punctuation. Eliminate (D) because a semicolon is STOP punctuation. The correct answer is (A).