Take this Exam: PSAT Reading — twelve short passages, and evidence that bears on the claim | Zestly

Question 1

"A highly specialized species can survive only within a narrow band of conditions. The Glacial Newt breeds only where the temperature stays below five degrees Celsius and the ground remains constantly damp. Both of those conditions are met in a handful of high valleys, and in almost no lowland site anywhere in the region." Which of these follows from what the writer says?

Accepted Answer

A lasting warming of the high valleys would put the newt's breeding at risk.

Answer

The newt's numbers are currently rising in the high valleys.

Answer

Dampness plays no part in whether the newt can breed.

Answer

The newt can breed across a wide range of temperatures.

Question 2

"The city of Marlow now requires every new commercial building to have a planted roof, on the grounds that greenery absorbs less heat than bare surfaces. Buildings in Marlow that already have planted roofs use fifteen percent less energy for cooling than comparable buildings with conventional ones. The requirement applies only to new construction; existing buildings are unaffected." Which of these follows from what the writer says?

Accepted Answer

As new buildings go up under the rule, the city's cooling energy use should fall below what it would otherwise have been.

Answer

Planted roofs cost more to install than conventional ones.

Answer

Buildings in Marlow with planted roofs use more energy for cooling than others.

Answer

Marlow has ordered conventional roofs to be removed from existing buildings.

Question 3

"Dr. Halloway holds that getting more daylight during the winter months improves how well students think and remember. She has proposed the claim on the strength of work with adults and now wants to test it in schools." Which finding, if true, would most strongly SUPPORT Halloway's claim?

Accepted Answer

Students given an extra hour of daylight each winter morning scored higher on memory tasks than matched classmates who were not.

Answer

Most students say they prefer to do their schoolwork in the evening.

Answer

Students who spend the most time outdoors in winter report enjoying school more than their classmates.

Answer

Daylight in winter has no measurable effect on students' mood.

Question 4

"The council of Marlow argues that putting up more streetlights in the town center will bring down the amount of crime committed there at night. It has proposed spending part of next year's budget on doing so." Which finding, if true, would most strongly WEAKEN the council's argument?

Answer

Streets that are already well lit have less crime than poorly lit ones.

Answer

The new lights would use less electricity than the ones they replace.

Answer

Residents say they feel safer walking in well-lit streets.

Answer

A neighboring town added streetlights across its center five years ago and its rate of night-time crime did not change.

Question 5

"The head of the Blue River Library says that introducing digital lending has raised the library's total use. In the year before digital lending began, the library recorded ten thousand physical loans and no downloads. In the first year with it, there were nine thousand physical loans and five thousand downloads. In the second year, eight thousand physical loans and nine thousand downloads." Which statement about these figures most strongly supports the librarian's claim?

Answer

Physical loans have fallen by two thousand since digital lending began.

Answer

Total use rose from ten thousand to fourteen thousand and then to seventeen thousand.

Answer

Physical loans fell by a thousand in the first year and a further thousand in the second.

Answer

Downloads nearly doubled between the first year and the second.

Question 6

"The owner of the Sunnyside Bakery says that her new loyalty card has made customers come back more often. In the month before the card was introduced, the bakery served two hundred different customers, fifty of whom came more than once. In the month after, it served two hundred and fifty different customers, fifty of whom came more than once." Which statement about these figures most strongly undermines the owner's claim?

Answer

The bakery served fifty more customers in the month after than in the month before.

Answer

The loyalty card was taken up mainly by customers who were new to the bakery.

Answer

The number of customers coming more than once was fifty in both months, so the share returning fell from a quarter to a fifth.

Answer

The bakery is now busier than it has ever been.