PSAT Writing and Language Question 483: Answer and Explanation

Question: 483

The author is considering removing the underlined sentence from the passage. Should it be kept or deleted?

• A. Kept, because it gives details to expand upon the general ideas of the previous sentence.
• B. Kept, because it explains the specific ways that the flavor of meat can be improved.
• C. Deleted, because it repeats information already expressed in the passage.
• D. Deleted, because it is only loosely related to the main focus of the passage.

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

(A) When deciding whether to delete the underlined sentence, ask two questions: is it relevant, and is the information new? If the answer is "no" to either of those questions, then the sentence should be deleted. In this case, the information about the animal scientist is both relevant and new. In fact, without this sentence, the reader would be left with an incomplete picture of what animal science actually is. Choice (B) correctly insists on keeping the sentence, but its logic is flawed, as it doesn't actually "explain the specific ways that the flavor of meat can be improved."