PSAT/NMSQT Prep 2022 - Eggert M.D., Strelka A. 2022

How to unpack PSAT reading question stems
PSAT reading question types
PSAT Reading

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After this lesson, you will be able to:

· Unpack PSAT Reading question stems by:

o Distinguishing among six PSAT Reading question types

o Determining if the correct answer is best found by researching the passage text or by consulting your big picture summary

To unpack question stems like these:

1. The passage is written from the viewpoint of someone who is

2. According to the passage, which of the following explains the reason leafcutter ants bring cut vegetation into their nests?

3. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?

4. As used in line 15, “dedicated” most nearly means

5. Which of the following can most reasonably be inferred about leafcutter ant activity?

6. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?

7. In the fourth paragraph (lines 48—61), the mathematical figures cited serve mainly to

8. According to the graph, the ratio of refuse soil to control soil is highest for which of the following nutrients?

9. Which of the following statements is best supported by the data presented in the table?

You’ll need to know this:

· The six kinds of question types, each of which defines a specific task:

o Global—asks about the passage’s main idea, the author’s primary purpose, or the passage’s overall organization

TYPICAL GLOBAL QUESTION STEMS

The central claim of the passage is that

Which choice best summarizes the passage?

The main purpose of the passage is to

Which choice best describes the developmental pattern of the passage?

Which choice best reflects the overall sequence of events in the passage?

o Detail—asks about something explicitly stated in the passage

TYPICAL DETAIL QUESTION STEMS

According to the passage, which of the following is true of developmental psychology?

The author indicates that people value solitude because

In the second paragraph (lines 14—27), what does the author claim are key questions the study must answer?

The passage identifies which of the following as a factor that influences economic growth?

o Inference—asks for something that follows from the passage without having been stated explicitly in it

TYPICAL INFERENCE QUESTION STEMS

Based on the passage, the author’s statement “in response, the Federal Reserve will often lower interest rates” (lines 21—22) implies that

Which concept is supported by the passage and by the information in the graph?

Based on information in the passage, it can reasonably be inferred that

The authors of both passages would most likely agree with which of the following statements?

o Command of Evidence—asks you to cite the support offered in the passage for the correct answer to the previous question or for a given statement

TYPICAL COMMAND OF EVIDENCE QUESTION STEMS

Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?

Which choice best supports the claim that the new policy is unlikely to curtail water pollution?

o Function—asks about the purpose of a piece of text—why the author included it or how the author has used it

TYPICAL FUNCTION QUESTION STEMS

The sentence in lines 35—37 serves mainly to

The main purpose of the fourth paragraph (lines 42—50) is to

How do the words “must,” “necessary,” and “imperative” in the third paragraph (lines 35—49) help establish the tone of the paragraph?

The author uses the image of an explorer overlooking a valley (lines 23—28) most likely to

The sentence in lines 74—78 (“After... rest”) primarily serves which function in paragraph 7?

o Vocabulary-in-Context (or Vocab-in-Context)—asks you to define a word as the author used it in the passage

TYPICAL VOCABULARY-IN-CONTEXT QUESTION STEMS

As used in line 55, “platform” most nearly means

As used in line 29, “substantial” most nearly means

· The kinds of research clues found in PSAT Reading question stems include the following:

o Line Numbers—Mentions of “line 53” or “lines 37—40,” often in parentheses, tend to stand out and give you a clear place to start your research. (In Command of Evidence questions, line numbers are found in the answer choices.)

o Paragraph Numbers—A reference to “paragraph 5,” “the third paragraph,” or “the last two paragraphs” is not as precise as a line reference but will still give you an idea of where to look. Start with your margin notes for the paragraph.

o Quoted Text (often accompanied by line numbers)—Check the context of the quoted term or phrase to see what the author meant by it in the passage.

o Proper Nouns—Names like “Professor James,” “World War II,” and “Baltimore” will likely stand out in question stems due to the capitalization. If a particular proper noun is discussed in only part of the passage, it narrows the range of text you have to research.

o Specific Content Clues—Sometimes a question stem will repeat terminology used in part of the passage like “federalism” or “action potentials.” Use your passage map to direct your research to the right part of the passage.

o Whole Passage Clues—If a question lacks specific content clues but refers to the passage as a whole, or to the author in general, you are likely dealing with a Global question or an open-ended Inference question, which should lead you to your big picture summary rather than to rereading parts of the text.

You’ll need to do this:

· Unpack PSAT Reading question stems by:

o Identifying the question type and anticipating how it will need to be answered

o Noting research clues that indicate how best to research the correct answer

QUESTION TYPES

Why distinguish question types in PSAT Reading?

Unpacking the question stem puts you in control. You’ll know exactly what the question is asking, where to find the correct answer, and what form the correct answer will take.

· Global: The correct answer must take the entire passage into account. A choice that reflects only part of the passage is incorrect.

· Detail: The correct answer must be stated in the passage explicitly. A choice that is not directly stated in the passage is incorrect.

· Inference: The correct answer will be a conclusion that can be drawn from the passage. A choice that draws too strong a conclusion from the evidence available in the passage is incorrect.

· Command of Evidence: The correct answer must directly support the correct answer to the previous question. A choice about the same subject but providing no direct evidence is not good enough.

· Function: The correct answer will say why a certain detail is included. Look up the detail, then ask yourself what the author was trying to accomplish by putting it there.

· Vocab-in-Context: The correct answer will give the meaning of a word as it is used in the context of the passage. Choices that give common meanings of the word are often incorrect.

Correct answers to Reading questions are never random or vague. They are tailored to the precise language of the stem, so being able to distinguish the question types will save you time and eliminate confusion during the test.

Explanations:

1. This is a Global question because it asks about the general “viewpoint” of the passage, that is, the author’s overall perspective. Your big picture summary will help you find the answer.

GLOBAL STRATEGY

Start with your big picture summary:

Global questions ask for the big picture of the passage, so always start by reviewing your big picture summary. You should generally avoid rereading passage text when tackling a Global question but, if you get stuck, the first and last paragraphs are usually the best places to look.

2. “According to the passage” is a clear sign of a Detail question. The answer will be found where the author discusses what leafcutters do with the vegetation they take in.

DETAIL STRATEGY

Search for the relevant information:

Don’t expect a lot of precise clues such as line numbers with Detail questions. Your task will usually be to extract the stem’s specific content clues and then use your passage map to help you locate that content in the text. If you can’t find it within about a minute, consider skipping a Detail question and returning to it after you answer the passage’s other questions. Researching them may inadvertently lead you to the detail you need.

3. The vast majority of Command of Evidence questions have this exact wording: “Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?” All Command of Evidence answer choices feature direct quotes with line numbers, which you should use to guide your research.

COMMAND OF EVIDENCE STRATEGY

Use your work on the previous question:

The line numbers listed in Command of Evidence answer choices give you four potential locations to look for the correct answer, but preempt this extensive searching by looking first at the lines of text you used to answer the previous question (usually an Inference or Detail). Alternatively, if you’re working on a different question and see a Command of Evidence coming up next, you can use the line numbers there to guide your research, increasing your efficiency by answering both questions at once.

4. A question stem that begins with a line reference, quotes a term from the passage, and ends in “most nearly means” is always a Vocab-in-Context question.

VOCAB-IN-CONTEXT STRATEGY

Go back to the context:

At a minimum, go to the line cited in a Vocab-in-Context question and reread the entire sentence that contains the word. If that doesn’t give you enough context, look for additional help in the surrounding sentences until you have a clear idea of what the author intended.

5. The phrase “can most reasonably be inferred” tells you this is an Inference question. You’ll want to find the discussion of leafcutter ant activity to begin your research.

INFERENCE STRATEGY

What follows from the text?

Inference questions come in a wider variety of forms than the other question types, but all are united by asking you to identify something that the author only suggests without saying outright. Fortunately for you, these questions are not asking for subtle hints, but for statements that MUST be true given what the author does state. Follow the clues to locate the relevant text, and then ask yourself, “What must follow from this?”

6. This is another Command of Evidence question in the standard format.

7. This is a Function question, as can be determined from the phrase “serve mainly to.” To research it, you should look for the mathematical figures in paragraph 4 and determine their purpose.

FUNCTION STRATEGY

Why did the author write that?

Most Function questions are why questions, asking you to explain what the author intended to accomplish with a particular piece of text, usually singled out with precise clues like line or paragraph numbers. Start researching by looking at the appropriate location from your passage map, reviewing what you described as the author’s purpose in that part of the text. If that doesn’t help, reread the indicated text and ask yourself, “Why did the author include this?”

8. “According to the graph” suggests that this is a Detail question connected to a graphic. To research, go to the graph after the passage and find the specified information.

9. The phrase “best supported” suggests an Inference question. For this question, go to the table accompanying the passage.

Try on Your Own

Directions: Analyze each of the following question stems by 1) identifying the word or phrase that describes your task, 2) naming the question type, and 3) noting how best to research the correct answer (research the text or consult the big picture summary). Answers are found at the end of the chapter.

1. The main purpose of the passage is to



Question type:

Identifying language:

Research where?

2. The author implies that, during the period in which the Norse settlements were initially founded, the climate in the region was



Question type:

Identifying language:

Research where?

3. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?



Question type:

Identifying language:

Research where?

4. In line 63, the word “inadvertently” most nearly means



Question type:

Identifying language:

Research where?

5. The passage indicates that the Inuit people on Greenland



Question type:

Identifying language:

Research where?

6. What function does the discussion of the trade in whale and elephant ivory serve in the passage as a whole?



Question type:

Identifying language:

Research where?

7. What can reasonably be inferred from the passage about the relationship between the shipping fleets of nations in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries and the colonies established by those nations?



Question type:

Identifying language:

Research where?

8. The author claims the Norse settlers did not adopt the successful survival tactics of the Inuit because



Question type:

Identifying language:

Research where?

9. Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?



Question type:

Identifying language:

Research where?

10. Which of the following best summarizes the organization of the passage?



Question type:

Identifying language:

Research where?

For any question types that you misidentified, return to the definitions and question stem examples before moving on to the “How Much Have You Learned?” section.