PSAT Writing and Language Question 366: Answer and Explanation

Question: 366

Which choice most effectively combines the sentences at the underlined portion?

• A. industry, though they allow
• B. industry, which allows
• C. industry by allowing
• D. industry that allows

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

C

Note the question! The question asks how to effectively combine the underlined sentences, so it's testing precision and concision. The phrase after industry changes in the answer choices, so determine the function of this phrase. The phrase must connect two sentences, so determine the relationship between the sentences. Sentence 1 says that surgical robots have changed the medical industry. Sentence 2 explains how they have changed the medical industry. Therefore, the underlined portion must give a clue that the information that follows explains a point from sentence 1. Eliminate (A) because the word though indicates that the information that is to follow will contrast sentence 1. Eliminate (B) because which suggests that surgical robots changing the medical industry caused doctors to be able to make precise cuts, which reverses the correct order of ideas. Keep (C) because by indicates that the information that follows will explain how surgical robots changed the medical industry. Eliminate (D) because that simply implies that the medical industry allows doctors to make precise cuts—this may be true, but it does not explain how surgical robots changed the industry. The correct answer is (C).