READING DRILL ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS
Reading Drill 1
1. B Because this is a general question followed by a “best evidence” question, Parallel POE lets
you use the answer choices for the next question to help with this one. Remember: You can look
at the lines given in the “best evidence” question and see if they support any of these answer
choices. Choice (A) initially looks like it could be supported by (B) from the next question, so
keep that pair as well. Choice (B) in this question is supported by (C) in the next question, so
keep that pair. Neither (C) nor (D) in this question has support in the “best evidence” question,
so eliminate those two. When you consider your remaining pairs of choices more carefully, you
see that the author refers to the process of electrolytic processing as expensive, not the tin
itself. Therefore, you can eliminate (A), which also eliminates (B) from the next question. The
answer here is (B).
2. C Because this is a “best evidence” question following a general question, Parallel POE lets you
use the answer choices for this question to help with the previous one. Remember: You can look
at the lines given in the “best evidence” question to see if they support any of these answer
choices. Choice (A) does not support any of the answer choices in the previous question, so you
can eliminate (A). Choice (B) initially looks like it could support (A) in the previous question,
so keep that pair. Choice (C) supports (B) in the previous question, so keep that pair as well.
Choice (D) does not support any of the answers to the previous question, so you can eliminate
(D). When you consider your remaining pairs of choices more carefully, you see that the author
refers to the process of electrolytic processing as expensive, not the tin itself. Therefore, you
can eliminate (B), which also eliminates (A) from the previous question. Choice (C) is correct.
3. B The passage discusses the nature of tin, the procedures of mining for tin, the uses of tin, and the
supply chain of tin. While the nature of tin is discussed in extreme detail, the supply chain is
described as complex, and the passage provides only a broad overview of some of the
obstacles in determining the exact chain. Thus, the passage reviews several elements of tin in
varying degrees of detail. Choice (A) is incorrect because the analysis of the supply chain is
not complete. Choice (B) matches the prediction and is therefore correct. Choice (C) is also
incorrect: While the passage could be used for a geology course, it does not provide any
information to describe the passage. Choice (D) can be eliminated because it does not match the
prediction.
4. C According to the passage, electrolytic processing is more expensive, but produces up to
99.9999 percent tin, which indicates that tin produced in this fashion would be less common
(since it is more expensive), and appeals most to those who required a purer form of tin.
Choice (A) is incorrect because commonly produced items do not match the predicted answer.
Choice (B) can be eliminated because there is no indication that the figurines would benefit
from a purer form of tin. Choice (C) is correct because it matches both the small quantity and
the appeal of a purer form of tin. Choice (D) is incorrect; an item sold worldwide does not
match the predicted answer.
