SAT #16 Reading (Questions 44-45)

Question

It can reasonably be inferred from the passage that the idea that the Moon was completely arid was reinforced in part because [...]?

Answer 1

Answer Choices C and D are the correct answers because Lines 23-25 say, “Still, many experts pointed to implanted hydrogen ions from the Sun’s solar wind as a more likely source of the signal.” These Lines tell us a reason why scientists continued to believe in the aridity, or dryness, of the Moon, since they could rationalize the signal as caused by something other than water on the Moon. This most closely matches Answer Choice C, which says that the idea of the Moon’s aridity was reinforced because “evidence that might have contradicted this notion could be explained in another way.” For Question 45, Answer Choice A is incorrect because, while it does strongly suggest a reason why scientists believed in the Moon’s aridity, it doesn’t match any answer choice from Question 44. Answer Choice B is incorrect because it only makes general claims about conventional scientific wisdom, and doesn’t provide a reason why scientists continued to believe in the Moon’s aridity. Answer Choice C is incorrect because it concerns the first piece of evidence that suggested the existence of water on the Moon, not of its aridity. For Question 44, Answer Choice A is incorrect because, while this might be a true point made by the Passage overall, it doesn’t match any of the answer choices from Question 45. Answer Choice B is incorrect because it doesn’t match any of the answer choices from Question 45 and because scientists’ willingness to challenge conventional wisdom would point to disconfirming the aridity of the Moon, not reinforcing it. Answer Choice D is incorrect because none of the answer choices from Question 45 concern the Apollo Moon rocks, and because the first paragraph indicates that they were already available for scientists.