PSAT Writing and Language Question 378: Answer and Explanation

Question: 378

Which choice, if added here, would most effectively explain why Bessie might be cautious?

• A. She knew that her training would take more than six months.
• B. Even now, flying can be risky for pilots.
• C. She had often imagined being in the pilot's seat.
• D. She had seen a fellow classmate die in a crash.

Correct Answer: D

Explanation:

D

Note the question! The question asks which choice would explain why Bessie might be cautious, so it's testing consistency. Eliminate answers that are inconsistent with the purpose stated in the question. The paragraph discusses Bessie's experience in flight school, and the sentence before question 35 states that Bessie knew that aviation training was dangerous. Look for an answer that explains how Bessie might have known it was dangerous. Eliminate (A) because the length of her training does not relate to the dangers of aviation training. Eliminate (B) because it discusses danger in the present day, not in Bessie's time. Eliminate (C) because there is no indication that Bessie thought of danger while imagining herself in the pilot's seat. Keep (D) because watching a fellow classmate die in a crash supports the idea that aviation training was dangerous. The correct answer is (D).