PSAT Writing and Language Question 477: Answer and Explanation

Question: 477

The author wishes to insert the following sentence into the previous paragraph.

"An elusive and unnamed stronghold somewhere steadily reduces the land dedicated to farming but still manages to increase food production—it's a conspiracy."

Where should it be placed?

• A. Before sentence 2
• B. Before sentence 3
• C. Before sentence 6
• D. Before sentence 7

Correct Answer: C

Explanation:

(C) It makes the most sense to have this sentence connect sentences 5 and 6 because sentence 5 focuses on the idea of a big business and governmental conspiracy, and sentence 6 transitions away from the discussion of misconceptions and conspiracies. Placing this sentence any earlier would interrupt the introduction of the paragraph's topic, and placing it later would revert to conspiratorial thinking when that line of analysis had already stopped.