How do you determine the most supported answer when two choices seem close?

• A. Check explicit or strongly implied support in the passage and rule out less supported options.
• B. Choose the longer of the two options.
• C. Choose the one with more unfamiliar vocabulary.
• D. Select the option that matches your initial guess.

Answer: (A)

When two options look close, the best choice is the one that the passage explicitly supports or strongly implies, with the others lacking solid textual backing. Focus on evidence in the text: a direct statement, a fact, or a logical inference that clearly ties to that option. If an option would require you to stretch beyond what the passage says, or to rely on memory or general knowledge, it’s not as well supported. The correct choice shows you’re grounding your answer in what the passage actually says or clearly lets you infer from its details, and it also helps you rule out alternatives that don’t have that same level of support. The other options don’t fit because they aren’t backed by explicit evidence in the text (length, vocabulary complexity, or a guess-made-in-hun broader sense aren’t reliable indicators of accuracy). Quick strategy: re-read for explicit statements or very clear inferences, and discard options that don’t have that level of textual support.