Question ID 2ed324dc

Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: 2ed324dc
The following text is from Sarah Orne Jewett’s 1899 short story “Martha’s Lady.” Martha is employed by Miss Pyne as a
maid.
Miss Pyne sat by the window watching, in her best dress, looking stately and calm; she seldom went out now, and it
was almost time for the carriage. Martha was just coming in from the garden with the strawberries, and with more
flowers in her apron. It was a bright cool evening in June, the golden robins sang in the elms, and the sun was going
down behind the apple-trees at the foot of the garden. The beautiful old house stood wide open to the long-expected
guest.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To convey the worries brought about by a new guest

B. To describe how the characters have changed over time

C. To contrast the activity indoors with the stillness outside

D. To depict the setting as the characters await a visitor’s arrival

ID: 2ed324dc Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer because it most accurately reflects the main purpose of the text. The text portrays Miss
Pyne as awaiting the arrival of a carriage while Martha brings strawberries and flowers from the garden into the house.
The text also describes the surroundings of the scene, stating that Miss Pyne looks “stately and calm,” the evening is
bright and cool, and birds are singing in the garden as the sun sets. Then the last sentence states that the house was
“wide open to the long-expected guest,” which strongly suggests that Miss Pyne’s anticipation and Martha’s activities
were in preparation for the guest who is expected to arrive in the carriage. Thus, the text depicts the setting and conveys
what these characters are doing as they await the arrival of their visitor.

Choice A is incorrect because there is nothing in the text to indicate that the characters feel any worry about the guest’s
arrival. The text indicates that the guest was “long-expected,“ but characterizing Miss Pyne as “stately and calm” conflicts
with the idea that the characters are worried about the guest. Choice B is incorrect because the text describes a moment
in time when two characters are awaiting the arrival of a visitor rather than an extended period over which characters
could be seen changing. Choice C is incorrect. Although the text describes the activity indoors (Miss Pyne sitting calmly),
it describes a higher level of activity, not stillness, outside (Martha bringing fruit and flowers and birds singing).

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 0cd95707
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: 0cd95707
Streams and rivers carry soil and rocks from one location to another. But there is another way for these geological
materials to move. Scientists call this process “aeolian transport.” In aeolian transport, winds move small particles of soil
or rock over potentially great distances. Geologist Melisa Diaz and her team studied dust in Antarctica to find out if it was
moved by aeolian transport. They discovered that the dust matched geological material in Australia. Aeolian transport
had carried it from one continent to another, across thousands of miles of open ocean.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?

A. It presents Melisa Diaz’s remarks about difficulties that her team encountered.

B. It introduces a scientific term that is used in the discussion that follows.

C. It emphasizes the surprising nature of the findings that are presented.

D. It explains the difference between two kinds of geological material.

ID: 0cd95707 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer because it most accurately describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a
whole. The first two sentences introduce the idea that soil and rocks can be moved from one location to another by
something other than rivers and streams. The underlined sentence then states that the term used by scientists to refer to
this process is “aeolian transport.” The discussion that follows explains what aeolian transport is (the movement of small
geological materials over potentially great distances by the wind) and describes an example of a study that found that
dust particles had been moved by aeolian transport from Australia to Antarctica. Thus, the underlined portion introduces
a scientific term that is used in the discussion that follows.

Choice A is incorrect because the underlined portion of the text doesn’t present any remarks from Melisa Diaz, nor does it
suggest that Diaz and her team encountered difficulties in their study. Instead, the phrase in quotation marks in the
underlined portion simply presents a term that is used by scientists to refer to a specific process discussed in the
text. Choice C is incorrect because nothing in either the underlined portion or the text as a whole suggests that the
findings of the study presented in the text were surprising or unexpected. In fact, the text suggests that Diaz and her
team wanted to see if aeolian transport could explain the appearance of certain geological materials in Antarctica, and
their findings did indeed confirm the involvement of aeolian transport. Choice D is incorrect. Although the first sentence
of the text mentions soil and rocks, which are two different kinds of geological material, the underlined portion doesn’t
refer to these materials, nor does it explain the difference between them. Rather, the underlined portion introduces the
scientific term “aeolian transport,” which is used in the discussion that follows.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 0e1db809
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: 0e1db809
San Francisco is known for the colorful murals painted on many of its buildings. The densest collection of murals is
found on Balmy Alley in the Mission District neighborhood. In the 1970s, Latina artists painted vivid scenes of community
life on walls along this block. As the original murals have faded, later generations of artists have painted new ones over
them. As a result, Balmy Alley has become a living showcase of San Francisco’s artistic spirit, with its murals reflecting
changes in the cultural life of the city.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To compare the Balmy Alley murals to other murals in San Francisco

B. To offer an overview of the history and importance of the Balmy Alley murals

C. To urge people to protect the murals of San Francisco from decay

D. To describe the rise of mural painting in San Francisco beginning in the 1970s

ID: 0e1db809 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer because it best states the main purpose of the text. The text begins by briefly stating that
San Francisco is known for its murals, then transitions to a discussion of a single collection of murals, which is found on
Balmy Alley in the city’s Mission District. The text explains that the murals in this area were originally created in the
1970s, then observes that they have changed over time: as some have faded through the decades, others have been
painted in their place. The text ends by emphasizing that these murals are significant because they reflect San
Francisco’s artistic spirit and cultural life. Therefore, the text provides an overview of the history and importance of the
Balmy Alley murals.

Choice A is incorrect. Although it can be inferred from the text that there are murals in other areas of San Francisco
besides Balmy Alley, the text doesn’t specifically discuss murals in other areas or compare the murals of Balmy Alley to
those in other areas. Choice C is incorrect. By observing that some of the murals of Balmy Alley have been replaced due
to fading, the text implies that murals can decay, but it never urges readers to protect this specific collection of murals—
or any murals elsewhere in San Francisco, for that matter. Indeed, by describing the ever-changing murals of Balmy Alley
as “a living showcase of San Francisco’s artistic spirit,” the text emphasizes the positive aspects of the fact that the
original Balmy Alley murals have faded and been replaced with new murals. Choice D is incorrect because the text
doesn’t describe the rise of mural painting in San Francisco generally or note when this occurred. The only historical
development of the 1970s mentioned in the text is the origin of the murals in a specific area of the city: Balmy Alley in the
Mission District.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID f1947c86
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: f1947c86
Jackie Ormes’s Torchy Brown in Dixie to Harlem (1937–38) was the first comic strip by a Black woman to appear in a
widely read newspaper. The strip tells the story of Torchy, a young woman who leaves Mississippi to become a performer
in New York City. Torchy’s story reflects the experience of the Great Migration (1910–1970), when millions of Black
Americans left the South in search of opportunities in other parts of the United States. Torchy Brown thus shows how
Ormes used comics to comment humorously on issues affecting Black Americans, which she continued to do
throughout her career.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To show how Ormes’s Torchy Brown inspired other Black women to write comic strips in the 1930s

B. To illustrate how the subjects Ormes addressed in her comic strips changed over the course of her career

C. To give an example of how Ormes presented the experiences of Black Americans in her comic strips

D. To claim that several characters in Torchy Brown were based on people that Ormes knew personally

ID: f1947c86 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The text describes how Torchy Brown depicted the experiences of a young Black woman
experiencing America’s Great Migration. It further states that Ormes continued to use comics throughout her career to
humorously comment on important issues impacting Black Americans.

Choice A is incorrect. The text never mentions other Black women comic strip writers. Choice B is incorrect. The text
never mentions any changes in the subjects Ormes addressed. Choice D is incorrect. The text never mentions the
inspiration for characters in Torchy Brown.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 9e480713
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: 9e480713
The following text is adapted from Gwendolyn Bennett’s 1926 poem “Street Lamps in Early Spring.”
Night wears a garment
All velvet soft, all violet blue...
And over her face she draws a veil
As shimmering fine as floating dew...
And here and there
In the black of her hair
The subtle hands of Night
Move slowly with their gem-starred light.

Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

A. It presents alternating descriptions of night in a rural area and in a city.

B. It sketches an image of nightfall, then an image of sunrise.

C. It makes an extended comparison of night to a human being.

D. It portrays how night changes from one season of the year to the next.

ID: 9e480713 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer because it most accurately describes the overall structure of the text. Throughout the text,
the speaker characterizes nighttime as if it were a person who wears clothing (“a garment” that is “velvet soft” and “violet
blue”) and a veil “over her face” and who moves her hands “slowly with their gem-starred light” through her dark hair.
Thus, the text is structured as an extended comparison of night to a human being.

Choice A is incorrect because the text never mentions any particular location; instead, it focuses on presenting a single
description of night as a person with certain clothing and features. Choice B is incorrect because the text doesn’t make
any reference to the sun or sunrise; instead, it focuses on presenting a single image of night as a person with certain
clothing and features. Choice D is incorrect. Rather than describing how nighttime changes seasonally (or in any other
way), the text presents a single image of night as a person with certain clothing and features.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID ead4518b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: ead4518b
The following text is adapted from Susan Glaspell’s 1912 short story “‘Out There.’” An elderly shop owner is looking at a
picture that he recently acquired and hopes to sell.
It did seem that the picture failed to fit in with the rest of the shop. A persuasive young fellow who claimed he was
closing out his stock let the old man have it for what he called a song. It was only a little out-of-the-way store which
subsisted chiefly on the framing of pictures. The old man looked around at his views of the city, his pictures of cats
and dogs, his flaming bits of landscape. “Don’t belong in here,” he fumed.
And yet the old man was secretly proud of his acquisition. There was a hidden dignity in his scowling as he shuffled
about pondering the least ridiculous place for the picture.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To reveal the shop owner’s conflicted feelings about the new picture

B. To convey the shop owner’s resentment of the person he got the new picture from

C. To describe the items that the shop owner most highly prizes

D. To explain differences between the new picture and other pictures in the shop

ID: ead4518b Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer because it most accurately describes the main purpose of the text. The text begins by
stating that the new picture “failed to fit in” with the other items that the shop owner has. The text goes on to illustrate
that point by describing the other pictures the shop owner has, indicating that the shop owner is fuming because he
doesn’t think the new picture belongs in the store. In the second paragraph, however, the text indicates that the shop
owner is “secretly proud of his acquisition.” The main purpose of the text is thus to reveal the shop owner’s conflicted
feelings about the new picture.

Choice B is incorrect because the text doesn’t suggest that the shop owner resents the young man who sold him the new
picture; in fact, the text gives no indication of the owner’s feelings about the young man at all. Choice C is incorrect.
Although the text indicates that the new picture is different from the other items in the shop, there’s no suggestion that
the shop owner prizes either the new picture or the pictures of the city, pets, and landscapes more than he prizes any
other items. Choice D is incorrect because the text doesn’t describe what the new picture looks like; rather, the text
identifies some of the other kinds of images that the shop owner has and states that they’re different from the new
picture without explaining how they’re different.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID a9f2dc3c
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: a9f2dc3c
Astronomers are confident that the star Betelgeuse will eventually consume all the helium in its core and explode in a
supernova. They are much less confident, however, about when this will happen, since that depends on internal
characteristics of Betelgeuse that are largely unknown. Astrophysicist Sarafina El-Badry Nance and colleagues recently
investigated whether acoustic waves in the star could be used to determine internal stellar states but concluded that this
method could not sufficiently reveal Betelgeuse’s internal characteristics to allow its evolutionary state to be firmly fixed.

Which choice best describes the function of the second sentence in the overall structure of the text?

A. It describes a serious limitation of the method used by Nance and colleagues.

B. It presents the central finding reported by Nance and colleagues.

C. It identifies the problem that Nance and colleagues attempted to solve but did not.

D. It explains how the work of Nance and colleagues was received by others in the field.

ID: a9f2dc3c Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer because it best describes how the second sentence functions in the text as a whole. The
first sentence establishes something astronomers believe with some certainty: that Betelgeuse will explode in a
supernova. The second sentence then introduces a problem: astronomers aren’t certain when Betelgeuse will explode
because they don’t have enough information about the star’s internal characteristics. Finally, the third sentence indicates
that researcher Sarafina El-Badry Nance and colleagues investigated a possible method of obtaining the necessary
information about Betelgeuse’s internal characteristics, though they found that the method wouldn’t be sufficient. Thus,
the function of the second sentence is to identify the problem that Nance and colleagues attempted to solve but didn’t.

Choice A is incorrect because the second sentence introduces the general problem Nance and colleagues hoped to
solve, not a serious limitation of how Nance and colleagues tried to solve it. It is the third sentence that introduces Nance
and colleagues, but no serious limitation of their approach to studying a method of determining internal stellar states is
described. Choice B is incorrect because the second sentence introduces the general problem Nance and colleagues
hoped to solve, not the central finding they ultimately reported. It is the third sentence that presents Nance and
colleagues’ conclusion that a potential method for determining internal stellar states would be insufficient. Choice D is
incorrect because the second sentence doesn’t indicate how other astronomers or astrophysicists responded to the work
done by Nance and colleagues; the text doesn’t address this information at all.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID dfad9bd5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: dfad9bd5
When ancient oak planks were unearthed during subway construction in Rome, Mauro Bernabei and his team examined
the growth rings in the wood to determine where these planks came from. By comparing the growth rings on the planks
to records of similar rings in oaks from Europe, the team could trace the wood to the Jura region of France, hundreds of
kilometers from Rome. Because timber could only have been transported from distant Jura to Rome by boat, the team’s
findings suggest the complexity of Roman trade routes.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?

A. It presents a conclusion about Roman trade routes based on the team’s findings.

B. It questions how the team was able to conclude that the planks were used to build a boat.

C. It explains why the planks were made from oak rather than a different kind of wood.

D. It describes common methods used in Roman subway construction.

ID: dfad9bd5 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer because it most accurately describes how the underlined sentence functions in the text as a
whole. The first sentence explains that Bernabei and his team studied growth rings to obtain information about the
ancient oak planks found during a construction project in Rome. The next sentence presents what the researchers
learned: the wood from the planks came from France’s Jura region, which is far from Rome. The underlined sentence
then presents the implications of the findings about the planks: the wood must have been brought to Rome by boat, a
difficult task that suggests Roman trade routes were complex. Thus, the underlined sentence mainly functions to present
a conclusion about Roman trade routes based on the team’s findings.

Choice B is incorrect because the text doesn’t suggest that the team thought the ancient planks were used in the
construction of a boat, nor does the underlined sentence question that conclusion. Instead, the text states that the wood
could only have been transported from Jura to Rome in a boat. Choice C is incorrect because the underlined sentence
simply offers a conclusion drawn from the team’s findings about the likely place of origin of the ancient planks; the text
never mentions why oak was chosen for the planks instead of other wood. Choice D is incorrect because neither the
underlined sentence nor the text as a whole addresses any methods that Romans used in constructing subways. Instead,
the underlined sentence offers a conclusion drawn from the team’s findings about the likely place of origin of the ancient
wooden planks discovered.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 752cec1f
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: 752cec1f
Hiroshi Senju is known worldwide for his paintings of waterfalls. These paintings are large and tend not to show the
entire waterfall. Instead, Senju focuses on just the point where the falling water reaches the pool below, keeping the top
of the waterfall out of view. While Senju’s paintings are rooted in art movements originating in the United States, the artist
uses traditional Japanese techniques and materials that make his work instantly recognizable.

Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

A. It introduces an artist and then explains some common characteristics of well-known paintings by that artist.

B. It explains a specific painting technique and then provides examples of artists who use the technique.

C. It describes a famous painting and then compares it to a lesser-known painting from the same time period.

D. It gives an opinion on an artist and then suggests multiple reasons why the artist’s work has been largely overlooked.

ID: 752cec1f Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer. The first sentence introduces Senju as a famous artist, while the next three sentences
describe the defining features of his art, such as it only showing part of the waterfall and its origins in US art movements
and Japanese techniques.

Choice B is incorrect. The text doesn’t provide examples of any other artists who use Senju’s techniques. Choice C is
incorrect. The text doesn’t describe any single famous painting or make comparisons between paintings. Choice D is
incorrect. The text doesn’t provide an opinion on Senju (just facts), nor does it suggest that his art has been overlooked—
in fact, it states that he is “known worldwide.”

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID c74d3ac7
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: c74d3ac7
Go forth, my son,
Winged by my heart’s desire!
Great reaches, yet unknown,
Await
For your possession.
I may not, if I would,
Retrace the way with you,
My pilgrimage is through,
The following text is from Georgia Douglas Johnson’s 1922 poem “Benediction.” But life is calling you!

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To express hope that a child will have the same accomplishments as his parent did

B. To suggest that raising a child involves many struggles

C. To warn a child that he will face many challenges throughout his life

D. To encourage a child to embrace the experiences life will offer

ID: c74d3ac7 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer because it accurately states the text’s main purpose. The poem begins with the speaker
urging a child to “go forth” with her encouragement (“my heart’s desire”). The speaker goes on to suggest that new
experiences (“Great reaches, yet unknown”) lie ahead for the son that “life is calling” him to seek out. Thus, the main
purpose is to encourage a child to embrace the experiences available to him in his life.

Choice A is incorrect because the speaker encourages the child to pursue new experiences (“Great reaches”) without
knowing exactly what those experiences will be (“yet unknown”) or suggesting that they should match the speaker’s own
accomplishments. Choice B is incorrect because the speaker focuses on positive possibilities for her son (“Great
reaches, yet unknown”) and her enthusiastic encouragement to embrace those possibilities (“life is calling you!”), while
there is no mention of raising a child or associated struggles. Choice C is incorrect because the speaker frames the
possibilities for her son in a positive light when she says that “great reaches, yet unknown” are waiting for him, and this
positive outlook for the son is consistent throughout the text.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID babff84b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: babff84b
Many films from the early 1900s have been lost. These losses include several films by the first wave of Black women
filmmakers. We know about these lost movies only from small pieces of evidence. For example, an advertisement for
Jennie Louise Touissant Welcome’s documentary Doing Their Bit still exists. There’s a reference in a magazine to Tressie
Souders’s film A Woman’s Error. And Maria P. Williams’s The Flames of Wrath is mentioned in a letter and a newspaper
article, and one image from the movie was discovered in the 1990s.

Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

A. The text identifies a complex problem, then presents examples of unsuccessful attempts to solve that problem.

B. The text summarizes a debate among researchers, then gives reasons for supporting one side in that debate.

C. The text describes a general situation, then illustrates that situation with specific examples.

The text discusses several notable individuals, then explains commonly overlooked differences between those
D. individuals.

ID: babff84b Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer. The first three sentences describe the general situation: these early films have been lost,
and we only know about them from small pieces of evidence. The rest of the text offers specific examples of the small
pieces of evidence.

Choice A is incorrect. This isn’t the overall structure. The fact that we only know about these lost early films from small
pieces of evidence isn’t presented as a “complex problem”—that’s too extreme. And the examples presented are not
“unsuccessful attempts” to solve it. If anything, the examples represent a success, because we discovered that these
films existed in the first place. Choice B is incorrect. This isn’t the overall structure. There’s no “debate” presented in the
text, so there’s no “side” for the text to support. Choice D is incorrect. This isn’t the overall structure. The text doesn’t
discuss any “differences” between the filmmakers.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID aad6de37
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: aad6de37
In the Here and Now Storybook (1921), educator Lucy Sprague Mitchell advanced the then controversial idea that books
for very young children should imitate how they use language, since toddlers, who cannot yet grasp narrative or abstract
ideas, seek reassurance in verbal repetition and naming. The most enduring example of this idea is Margaret Wise
Brown’s 1947 picture book Goodnight Moon, in which a young rabbit names the objects in his room as he drifts off to
sleep. Scholars note that the book’s emphasis on repetition, rhythm, and nonsense rhyme speaks directly to Mitchell’s
influence.

Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

The text outlines a debate between two authors of children’s literature and then traces how that debate shaped
A. theories on early childhood education.

The text summarizes an argument about how children’s literature should be evaluated and then discusses a
B. contrasting view on that subject.

The text lists the literary characteristics that are common to many classics of children’s literature and then indicates
C. the narrative subjects that are most appropriate for young children.

The text presents a philosophy about what material is most suitable for children’s literature and then describes a
D. book influenced by that philosophy.

ID: aad6de37 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer. The text starts by introducing Mitchell’s philosophy about using simple, repetitive language
in books for young children. Then it describes a book influenced by that philosophy, Goodnight Moon.

Choice A is incorrect. Although two authors are mentioned in the text, they both agree about the type of language that
should be contained in books for young children. Choice B is incorrect. The text never discusses the evaluation of
children’s literature. It does provide one view of how children’s books should be written, but never introduces a competing
view. Choice C is incorrect. The text doesn’t mention “many classics of children’s literature.” Instead, it describes an
educational theory and identifies one example of a famous children’s book that was influenced by that theory.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 77203bc5
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: 77203bc5
Genetic studies have led researchers to suggest that turtles are most closely related to the group that includes modern
crocodiles. But studies of fossils have suggested instead that turtles are most closely related to other groups, such as
the one that contains modern snakes. However, many of the fossil studies have relied on incomplete data sets. For a
2022 investigation, biologist Tiago R. Simões and colleagues examined more than 1,000 reptile fossils collected
worldwide. From this large data set, they found clear agreement with the results of the genetic studies.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence?

A. It offers an overview of the tools scientists use to examine fossils.

B. It describes a limitation of some studies about the origin of turtles.

C. It summarizes previous research on the evolution of crocodiles.

D. It criticizes a widely held belief about genetic studies of reptiles.

ID: 77203bc5 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer. The sentence mentions that some fossil studies have relied on incomplete data sets,
suggesting that these studies are limited in what they can tell us about turtles’ origins.

Choice A is incorrect. While the sentence mentions the incompleteness of the data sets studied, it doesn’t mention any
tools or techniques used to examine fossils. Choice C is incorrect. The sentence doesn’t mention anything about the
evolution of crocodiles. Choice D is incorrect. This sentence doesn’t directly mention or criticize any "widely held belief,"
and it focuses on a limitation of fossil studies of reptiles, not genetic studies.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 922591db
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: 922591db
In 1801, a Blackfoot chief named Ac Ko Mok Ki drew a finely detailed map of the Upper Missouri region. This work
demonstrates a vast amount of topographic knowledge, as the map features specific names of mountains and rivers, as
well as the first-known sketch of the drainage network of the Missouri River. The map is especially notable because Ac
Ko Mok Ki also included details about the numerous tribes that lived in the area.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?

A. It emphasizes Ac Ko Mok Ki’s desire to represent other tribes on the map.

B. It explains how Ac Ko Mok Ki developed an interest in mapmaking.

C. It identifies some reasons why the map is impressive.

D. It details how the map was used for hunting and trading purposes.

ID: 922591db Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer because it best describes how the underlined sentence functions in the text as a whole. The
text presents information about a map drawn by Blackfoot chief Ac Ko Mok Ki in 1801. The underlined sentence states
that the map "demonstrates a vast amount of topographic knowledge" and mentions that it features the "specific names
of mountains and rivers" and includes the first-known sketch of the Missouri River’s drainage network. These are all
characteristics that indicate that the map was executed with remarkable skill. Thus, the underlined sentence identifies
some reasons why the map is impressive.

Choice A is incorrect. Though the sentence after the underlined sentence in the text mentions that Ac Ko Mok Ki included
information about other tribes on his map, the underlined sentence itself does not address this topic. Choice B is
incorrect because nothing in the underlined sentence indicates how Ac Ko Mok Ki became interested in mapmaking, only
that his mapmaking skills are impressive. Choice D is incorrect because though the underlined sentence describes
several features of the map, it does not specifically describe how the map was used.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID ae580208
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: ae580208
The following text is adapted from Charles Chesnutt’s 1899 short story “Mars Jeems’s Nightmare.” The narrator and his
wife have recently moved to the southern United States, and Julius is their carriage driver.

Julius [was] very useful when we moved to our new residence. He had a thorough knowledge of the neighborhood,
was familiar with the roads and the watercourses, knew the qualities of the various soils and what they would
produce, and where the best hunting and fishing were to be had. He was a marvelous hand in the management of
horses and dogs.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To compare the narrator’s reaction to a new home with his wife’s reaction

B. To give an example of Julius’s knowledge about soil

C. To show that the narrator and Julius often hunt and fish together

D. To explain different ways in which Julius was helpful

ID: ae580208 Answer

Correct Answer: D

Rationale
Choice D is the best answer because it most accurately describes the main purpose of the text, which is to explain
different ways in which Julius was helpful. The text begins with the narrator stating that Julius was very helpful to him
and his wife when they moved to their new residence. The narrator then provides a list of examples to illustrate Julius’s
helpfulness. For instance, the narrator states that Julius was familiar with the neighborhood’s roads, which suggests that
he was helpful in navigating them, and that Julius helped manage the horses and dogs. The text’s many examples of
Julius’s usefulness reinforce just how helpful he was and in how many different ways.

Choice A is incorrect because the text doesn’t portray either the narrator’s or his wife’s reaction to their new home. Rather,
the text focuses on how Julius was useful to the narrator and his wife in their new home. Choice B is incorrect. Although
the text states that Julius was knowledgeable about the soil, this is one of several supporting details that illustrate how
helpful Julius was. Moreover, the text merely states that Julius was knowledgeable about soil; it doesn’t provide an
example of that knowledge. Choice C is incorrect because there’s nothing in the text to suggest the frequency with which
the narrator and Julius hunted and fished together. In fact, it’s unclear from the text whether the narrator and Julius
hunted and fished together at all. The text merely indicates that Julius knew the best places to hunt and fish—a detail that
supports the text’s main purpose by conveying Julius’s usefulness.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 935c2154
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: 935c2154
The following text is from Holly Goldberg Sloan’s 2017 novel Short.

More than two years ago my parents bought a piano from some people who were moving to Utah. Mom and Dad
gave it to my brothers and me for Christmas. I had to act really happy because it was such a big present, but I pretty
much hated the thing from the second it was carried into the hallway upstairs, which is right next to my bedroom.
The piano glared at me. It was like a songbird in a cage. It wanted to be set free.
©2017 by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. It explains why the narrator always wanted a piano close to her bedroom.

B. It establishes how the narrator feels about the piano.

C. It suggests that the narrator’s brothers are talented piano players.

D. It describes the event that led the narrator’s parents to buy a piano.

ID: 935c2154 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer because it best states the main purpose of the text, which is to establish the narrator’s
feelings about the piano. The narrator reveals that she “had to act really happy” about the piano even though she “pretty
much hated the thing” as soon as it was placed upstairs near her bedroom. The narrator also describes the piano as
glaring at her and compares it to a caged bird that wants to be set free. These details establish the narrator’s feelings
about the piano, suggesting that it makes her uneasy.

Choice A is incorrect because the text indicates that the narrator hated having the piano upstairs right next to her
bedroom, not that she wanted a piano to be close to her bedroom. Choice C is incorrect because the only information
provided in the text about the narrator’s brothers is that they were given the piano along with the narrator. Choice D is
incorrect because the text does not describe the event that led the narrator’s parents to buy the piano from the people
moving to Utah. Instead, the text focuses on the narrator’s feelings about the piano after it was given to her and her
brothers.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID f11dff59
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: f11dff59
In 2007, computer scientist Luis von Ahn was working on converting printed books into a digital format. He found that
some words were distorted enough that digital scanners couldn’t recognize them, but most humans could easily read
them. Based on that finding, von Ahn invented a simple security test to keep automated “bots” out of websites. The first
version of the reCAPTCHA test asked users to type one known word and one of the many words scanners couldn’t
recognize. Correct answers proved the users were humans and added data to the book-digitizing project.

Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?

A. To discuss von Ahn’s invention of reCAPTCHA

B. To explain how digital scanners work

C. To call attention to von Ahn’s book-digitizing project

D. To indicate how popular reCAPTCHA is

ID: f11dff59 Answer

Correct Answer: A

Rationale
Choice A is the best answer because it most accurately states the main purpose of the text. After providing a brief
introduction to computer scientist Luis von Ahn, the text focuses on discussing how von Ahn’s digitization work led to the
invention of a digital security test known as reCAPTCHA.

Choice B is incorrect because the text doesn’t address how digital scanners work. Choice C is incorrect. Although the
text mentions von Ahn’s book-digitizing project, that information is provided as a detail, not as the main purpose of the
text. Choice D is incorrect because the text doesn’t provide any indication of reCAPTCHA’s popularity; instead, it
describes reCAPTCHA’s origin.

Question Difficulty: Medium

Question ID 5f8c29cf
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: 5f8c29cf
The field of study called affective neuroscience seeks instinctive, physiological causes for feelings such as pleasure or
displeasure. Because these sensations are linked to a chemical component (for example, the release of the
neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain when one receives or expects a reward), they can be said to have a partly
physiological basis. These processes have been described in mammals, but Jingnan Huang and his colleagues have
recently observed that some behaviors of honeybees (such as foraging) are also motivated by a dopamine-based
signaling process.

What choice best describes the main purpose of the text?

A. It describes an experimental method of measuring the strength of physiological responses in humans.

B. It illustrates processes by which certain insects can express how they are feeling.

It summarizes a finding suggesting that some mechanisms in the brains of certain insects resemble mechanisms in
C. mammalian brains.

It presents research showing that certain insects and mammals behave similarly when there is a possibility of a
D. reward for their actions.

ID: 5f8c29cf Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer because it most accurately describes the main purpose of the text, which is to summarize a
finding suggesting that some mechanisms in the brains of certain insects resemble mechanisms in mammalian brains.
The text begins by explaining that feelings such as pleasure and displeasure are linked to chemical processes in the
brain, such as the release of dopamine when one receives a reward. The text then indicates that such processes have
been seen in mammals but that researchers have recently observed similar processes involving dopamine in honeybees.
Taken together, this information serves to sum up the discovery that some mechanisms in the brains of certain insects
may resemble mechanisms linked to feelings such as pleasure and displeasure in mammals.

Choice A is incorrect because the text doesn’t describe any experiments or experimental methods. Instead, the text
describes a phenomenon that has been observed in mammals and then presents the recent observations of Huang and
colleagues that this phenomenon is also seen in honeybees. Choice B is incorrect because there’s nothing in the text to
suggest that certain insects can express how they’re feeling through particular processes. The text does indicate that
certain honeybee behaviors such as foraging are linked to dopamine, but it doesn’t suggest that these behaviors enable
honeybees to communicate feelings or sensations. Choice D is incorrect because the text presents research showing
that certain honeybee behaviors such as foraging are linked to dopamine and therefore may be motivated by similar
mechanisms to those in mammalian brains, not that honeybees and mammals behave similarly when there is the
possibility of reward for their actions.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 49a2ac01
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: 49a2ac01
The following text is from Srimati Svarna Kumari Devi’s 1894 novel The Fatal Garland (translated by A. Christina Albers in
1910). Shakti is walking near a riverbank that she visited frequently during her childhood.

She crossed the woods she knew so well. The trees seemed to extend their branches like welcoming arms. They
greeted her as an old friend. Soon she reached the river-side.

Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?

A. It suggests that Shakti feels uncomfortable near the river.

B. It indicates that Shakti has lost her sense of direction in the woods.

C. It emphasizes Shakti’s sense of belonging in the landscape.

D. It conveys Shakti’s appreciation for her long-term friendships.

ID: 49a2ac01 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer because it most accurately describes how the underlined sentence functions in the text as a
whole. The first sentence of the text states that Shakti knows the woods she is walking in well. The next sentence, which
is underlined, emphasizes Shakti’s familiarity with, and sense of security within, the woods by describing how the tree
branches are friendly and “welcoming,” as they are depicted as extending open arms to her. The remainder of the text
also shows that Shakti is comfortable and content in the woods by describing her as “an old friend” of the trees. Thus,
the function of the underlined portion is to emphasize Shakti’s sense of belonging in the wooded landscape that she
visits.

Choice A is incorrect because the text and underlined portion suggest that Shakti is comfortable, not uncomfortable, in
her surroundings: the trees around her are described as welcoming and reassuring. Moreover, the underlined portion
discusses Shakti’s feelings in the forest, not the river, since she hasn’t reached the river yet. Choice B is incorrect because
the text and underlined portion emphasize Shakti’s familiarity with the woods. The trees are inviting, and she feels like “an
old friend” to the woods, so she isn’t lost or confused there. Choice D is incorrect because the third sentence uses the
phrase “as an old friend” figuratively in reference to Shakti’s sense of familiarity with the landscape, not in reference to
her long-standing friendships with other people, and the text and underlined portion never discuss her feelings about
such friendships.

Question Difficulty: Easy

Question ID 66b7cf61
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: 66b7cf61
The following text is from the 1923 poem “Black Finger” by Angelina Weld Grimké, a Black American writer. A cypress is a
type of evergreen tree.
I have just seen a most beautiful thing,
Slim and still,
Against a gold, gold sky,
A straight black cypress,
Sensitive,
Exquisite,
A black finger
Pointing upwards.
Why, beautiful still finger, are you black?
And why are you pointing upwards?

Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

A. The speaker assesses a natural phenomenon, then questions the accuracy of her assessment.

B. The speaker describes a distinctive sight in nature, then ponders what meaning to attribute to that sight.

C. The speaker presents an outdoor scene, then considers a human behavior occurring within that scene.

D. The speaker examines her surroundings, then speculates about their influence on her emotional state.

ID: 66b7cf61 Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer because it most accurately describes the overall structure of the text. First, the speaker
describes observing a “most beautiful” sight: a tree (“black cypress”) standing out from the golden sky behind it, looking
like a person’s finger “pointing upwards” and appearing “sensitive” and “exquisite.” Then the speaker wonders about the
image’s meaning, asking why the finger is black and why it’s pointing upward. Thus, the text moves from the speaker’s
description of a distinctive sight in nature to her pondering about what meaning to attribute to that sight.

Choice A is incorrect because the speaker assesses a natural sight—a “black cypress” tree standing “against a gold, gold
sky” like a pointed finger—but doesn’t question the accuracy of her own assessment. Although she wonders why the
finger, which is really a tree, is black and why it’s pointing, the speaker doesn’t suggest that her belief that the tree
resembles a finger is wrong. Choice C is incorrect. Although the speaker describes seeing a “black cypress” tree standing
“against a gold, gold sky” like a pointed finger, she wonders about that natural image (asking why the finger, which is
really a tree, is black and why it’s pointing) and doesn’t give any indication that any people are present in the scene.
Choice D is incorrect. Although the speaker examines and wonders about one thing in her surroundings—a “black
cypress” tree standing “against a gold, gold sky” like a pointed finger—she doesn’t address her own emotional state or
consider how it’s affected by her surroundings.
Question Difficulty: Hard
Question ID d6190a7b
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: d6190a7b
The mimosa tree evolved in East Asia, where the beetle Bruchidius terrenus preys on its seeds. In 1785, mimosa trees
were introduced to North America, far from any B. terrenus. But evolutionary links between predators and their prey can
persist across centuries and continents. Around 2001, B. terrenus was introduced in southeastern North America near
where botanist Shu-Mei Chang and colleagues had been monitoring mimosa trees. Within a year, 93 percent of the trees
had been attacked by the beetles.

Which choice best describes the function of the third sentence in the overall structure of the text?

A. It states the hypothesis that Chang and colleagues had set out to investigate using mimosa trees and B. terrenus.

B. It presents a generalization that is exemplified by the discussion of the mimosa trees and B. terrenus.

C. It provides context that clarifies why the species mentioned spread to new locations.

D. It offers an alternative explanation for the findings of Chang and colleagues.

ID: d6190a7b Answer

Correct Answer: B

Rationale
Choice B is the best answer because it most accurately describes the function of the third sentence within the overall
structure of the text. The third sentence makes a generalization, asserting that evolutionary links between predators and
prey can persist across great expanses of time and distance. This generalization is exemplified by the text’s discussion
of the relationship between mimosa trees and B. terrenus beetles. When mimosa trees were introduced to North America
in 1785, no B. terrenus beetles were present, so the relationship between the trees and the beetles that exists in their
native East Asia was disrupted. When the beetles were introduced to North America more than 200 years later, however,
they quickly attacked mimosa trees, illustrating the generalization that links between predators and prey "can persist
across centuries and continents."

Choice A is incorrect because the third sentence doesn’t indicate that Chang and colleagues were investigating any
hypothesis. According to the text, Chang and colleagues were simply monitoring mimosa trees when the beetles
happened to be introduced to the area. Choice C is incorrect because the third sentence doesn’t discuss any particular
species, let alone the species mentioned elsewhere in the text, nor does the sentence explain why species spread to new
locations. Choice D is incorrect because the third sentence offers a generalization about the relationship between
predators and prey, not an explanation for the findings by Chang and colleagues that’s an "alternative" to an explanation
presented elsewhere in the text.

Question Difficulty: Hard

Question ID 8fa22275
Assessment Test Domain Skill Difficulty

PSAT 8/9 Reading and Writing Craft and Structure Text Structure and
Purpose

ID: 8fa22275
A study by a team including finance professor Madhu Veeraraghavan suggests that exposure to sunshine during the
workday can lead to overly optimistic behavior. Using data spanning from 1994 to 2010 for a set of US companies, the
team compared over 29,000 annual earnings forecasts to the actual earnings later reported by those companies. The
team found that the greater the exposure to sunshine at work in the two weeks before a manager submitted an earnings
forecast, the more the manager’s forecast exceeded what the company actually earned that year.

Which choice best states the function of the underlined sentence in the overall structure of the text?

A. To summarize the results of the team’s analysis

B. To present a specific example that illustrates the study’s findings

C. To explain part of the methodology used in the team’s study

D. To call out a challenge the team faced in conducting its analysis

ID: 8fa22275 Answer

Correct Answer: C

Rationale
Choice C is the best answer because it best describes how the underlined sentence functions in the text as a whole. The
first sentence presents the implications of Veeraraghavan’s team’s study: sunshine exposure during work hours can
cause overly optimistic behavior. The underlined sentence then describes the data the team consulted and how they
were used (comparing predictions about earnings to what the companies actually earned), and the final sentence
presents what the team found in their examination of the data. Thus, the underlined sentence mainly functions to explain
part of the methodology used in the team’s study.

Choice A is incorrect because the underlined sentence explains in part how the team conducted their analysis of the
effect of sunshine but doesn’t address what the team found; a broad summary is instead given in the other two
sentences. Choice B is incorrect because the underlined sentence doesn’t present any specific examples from the team’s
comparisons of 29,000 earnings predictions to actual earnings; it simply explains in part how the team conducted their
analysis. Choice D is incorrect because the underlined sentence simply explains in part how the team conducted their
analysis; the text never mentions any challenges that the team encountered in their study.

Question Difficulty: Hard