PSAT review
HOW DO YOU THINK THROUGH THESE
QUESTIONS??
Skill: Manage Word Choice and Grammatical
Relationships Between Words
 Where is the error (if there’s an error…)?
Eighteenth-century French mathematician Sophie
Germain was initially discouraged by her parents
A
to study what was then widely considered a subject
B
C
unsuitable for women. No error
D
E
Section 5, Question #34
Eighteenth-century French mathematician Sophie
Germain was initially discouraged by her parents
A
to study what was then widely considered a subject
B
C
unsuitable for women. No error
D
E
The error is B. It should read “from studying.” One is
discouraged from doing something and encouraged to do
something.
Skill: Manage Word Choice and Grammatical
Relationships Between Words
 Where is the error (if there’s an error…)?
Presidents who have just left office may require some
A
time to find an appropriate way of serving the country
B
C
he or she recently led. No error
D
E
Section 5; Question #32
Presidents who have just left office may require some
A
time to find an appropriate way of serving the country
B
C
he or she recently led. No error
D
E
The error is D. The antecedent for this pronoun is
“Presidents,” which is plural, so the pronoun at D should be
“they.”
Skill: Vocabulary in Context
 Which best fits the sentence?
The critic’s review of Hollister’s latest novel was quite
________, predicting that the book would prove to be
________ for even the most devoted of Hollister’s fans.
A. laudatory…an ordeal
B. vindictive…a lark
C. scathing…a banquet
D. caustic…a trial
E. insolent…a repast
Section 1; Question #7
The critic’s review of Hollister’s latest novel was quite ________,
predicting that the book would prove to be ________ for even the most
devoted of Hollister’s fans.
A. laudatory…an ordeal
B. vindictive…a lark
C. scathing…a banquet
D. caustic…a trial
E. insolent…a repast
The answer is D. Both blanks will be either positive or negative; the
sentence has a direct (not negative) comparison. “Laudatory” in A means to
praise; “a lark” in B is a fun and easy event; “scathing” in C means very
critical; “caustic” in D means very critical; “repast” in E is a meal. C and E
make NO sense… both “banquet” and “repast” are related to food/eating.
Skill: Understanding Literary Elements
Read the passage about Mr. Hosokawa on the
handout. Annotate as you read.
In the context of the passage as a whole, the first
paragraph serves primarily to
A. state the narrator’s view of the main characters
B. introduce a criticism of language education
C. reveal the location for the story that follows
D. prepare the reader for a significant contrast
E. demonstrate the scale of a social problem
Section 3; Question #44
In the context of the passage as a whole, the first paragraph serves primarily to
A. state the narrator’s view of the main characters
B. introduce a criticism of language education
C. reveal the location for the story that follows
D. prepare the reader for a significant contrast
E. demonstrate the scale of a social problem
The answer is D. The words and phrases “When he was
younger,” “but,” and repeated “some” all indicate comparison or
contrast. The final sentence “What he went through before Gen”
sets up contrasting Mr. Hosokawa’s situation before and after
Gen’s employment.
Skill: Understanding Literary Elements
Based off the Mr. Hosokawa passage from yesterday:
Which best characterizes the way in which the third
paragraph is presented?
A. A detached observer reports a variety of factual data.
B. A satirical commentator mocks some formal actions.
C. An objective account is followed by a subjective reaction.
D. An exaggerated description is qualified by the narrator.
E. An imagined event parallels actual ongoing events.
Section 3; Question #45
Which best characterizes the way in which the third paragraph is presented?
A. A detached observer reports a variety of factual data.
B. A satirical commentator mocks some formal actions.
C. An objective account is followed by a subjective reaction.
D. An exaggerated description is qualified by the narrator.
E. An imagined event parallels actual ongoing events.
The answer is C. The first sentences of paragraph 3 recount
exactly what Gen did. Beginning with “Mr. Hosokawa heard
something…” the paragraph gives how Mr. Hosokawa felt about
Gen’s voice.
Skill: Manage Word Choice and Grammatical
Relationships Between Words
Which is the best wording for the underlined portion?
The fashion writer walked into a boutique and, seeing the
latest styles on display, it reminded her of the colorful
dresses that Frida Kahlo had worn more than 50 years
earlier.
A. it reminded her
B. they reminded her
C. which reminded her
D. were reminded
E. was reminded
Section 5; Question #17
The fashion writer walked into a boutique and, seeing the latest styles on
display, it reminded her of the colorful dresses that Frida Kahlo had worn
more than 50 years earlier.
A.
it reminded her
B.
they reminded her
C.
which reminded her
D. were reminded
E.
was reminded
The answer is E. The underlined words should finish the clause
begun with “The fashion writer…” The subject for the underlined
verb is still “writer,” which is singular. Answer choices A, B, and C
are worded as if the “styles” were the subject.
Skill: Manage Word Choice and Grammatical
Relationships Between Words
Which is the best wording for the underlined portion?
Her poetry, most of which is about the birds and other
animals she encounters on her daily walks, give the illusion
of being composed in the language of everyday
conversation.
A. poetry, most of which is
B. poetry, most of it being
C. poetry, which is mostly
D. poems, most of them are
E. poems, most of which are
Section 5; Question #19
Her poetry, most of which is about the birds and other animals she
encounters on her daily walks, give the illusion of being composed in the
language of everyday conversation.
A.
poetry, most of which is
B.
poetry, most of it being
C.
poetry, which is mostly
D. poems, most of them are
E.
poems, most of which are
The answer is E. Later in the sentence, after the appositive phrase,
the main clause’s verb is “give.” Since “give” is a plural verb (they
give, not he give, right?), the subject in the underlined portion must
be plural. This eliminates A, B, and C. Between D and E, “most of
which” correctly refers back to “poems.”
Skill: Manage Phrases and Clauses in a Sentence
Which is the best wording for the underlined portion?
One of the students collected specimens of plants
native to her region that were then labeled and
arranged by her in a display case.
A. region that were then labeled and arranged by her
B. region that she then labeled and arranged them
C. region and labeling them and arranging them
D. region, labeled them, and arranged them
E. region, then she labeled and arranged them
Section 5; Question #18
One of the students collected specimens of plants native to her region that
were then labeled and arranged by her in a display case.
A. region that were then labeled and arranged by her
B. region that she then labeled and arranged them
C. region and labeling them and arranging them
D. region, labeled them, and arranged them
E. region, then she labeled and arranged them
The answer is D. It is the most concise (least wordy
and most direct) way to say this.
Skill: Manage Grammatical Structures Used to
Modify or Compare
Which is the best wording for the underlined portion?
Making its return to the inner solar system after a 76-year
absence, Chinese astronomers observed Halley’s Comet in 240
B.C.E.
Chinese astronomers observed Halley’s Comet in 240 B.C.E.
B. it was Chinese astronomers who in 240 B.C.E. observed
Halley’s Comet
C. observations of Halley’s Comet were made by Chinese
astronomers in 240 B.C.E.
D. Halley’s Comet was observed by Chinese astronomers in 24o
A.
B.C.E.
E.
in 24o B.C.E. Chinese astronomers observed Halley’s Comet
Section 5; Question #14
Making its return to the inner solar system after a 76-year absence, Chinese
astronomers observed Halley’s Comet in 240 B.C.E.
A.
Chinese astronomers observed Halley’s Comet in 240 B.C.E.
B.
it was Chinese astronomers who in 240 B.C.E. observed Halley’s Comet
C.
observations of Halley’s Comet were made by Chinese astronomers in 240
B.C.E.
D.
E.
Halley’s Comet was observed by Chinese astronomers in 24o B.C.E.
in 24o B.C.E. Chinese astronomers observed Halley’s Comet
The answer is D. The sentence begins “Making its return…,”
so Halley’s Comet (not the astronomers) must be the subject
of the sentence.
Skill: Vocabulary in Context
Which best fits the sentence?
The word “snowflake” can refer to either a single ice
crystal, a small cluster of ice crystals, or a large
________ formed when such clusters ________.
A. classification…separate
B. aggregation…cohere
C. dimension…disperse
D. accumulation…melt
E. solution…collect
Section 3; Question #26
The word “snowflake” can refer to either a single ice crystal, a small cluster of
ice crystals, or a large ________ formed when such clusters ________.
A.
classification…separate
B.
aggregation…cohere
C.
dimension…disperse
D. accumulation…melt
E.
solution…collect
The answer is B. The sentence builds from “single” to “small
cluster” to “large _____” so a word meaning “group” is needed in
the first blank. This could be either B or D. The second blank
needs a word that means “stick together,” so, even if cohere is an
unfamiliar word, you should eliminate D because “melt” does not
mean to stick together.
Skill: Vocabulary in Context
Which best fits the sentence?
Since she was unaccustomed to playing _______ role at
school board meetings, Marge did not _______ when
asked to take the microphone and voice parents’ concerns.
A. a submissive…acquiesce
B. a confrontational…reciprocate
C. an auxiliary…exult
D. a passive…balk
E. a public…demur
Section 3; Question #29
Since she was unaccustomed to playing _______ role at school board meetings,
Marge did not _______ when asked to take the microphone and voice parents’
concerns.
A.
a submissive…acquiesce
B.
a confrontational…reciprocate
C.
an auxiliary…exult
D.
a passive…balk
E.
a public…demur
This one is really HARD!! The answer is D. If you reword to
“She was not usually ____ at meetings, so Marge didn’t
_____ when asked to speak” that might make it somewhat
easier. An active (not passive) person would not hesitate
(balk) to speak up.
Still VERY TOUGH!