Which procedure displays a listing of the observations in the data portion of a SAS data set?

The PRINT procedure is specifically designed to display a listing of the observations in the data portion of a SAS data set. When invoked, it reads the data and outputs each observation in a tabular format, making it easy for users to review and analyze the contents of the dataset.

This procedure is commonly utilized for viewing the actual data that resides in a dataset, providing a straightforward way to assess the information without needing further manipulation. It supports various options that can tailor the output, such as specifying which variables to display or adding formatting features.

In contrast, other procedures serve different purposes. The CONTENTS procedure provides metadata about the dataset, such as variable names, types, and attributes, but does not display the actual data. The DATASETS procedure is used for managing SAS data sets and does not focus on displaying observations. The LIST option isn't available in standard SAS procedures; therefore, it's not a valid choice for this context.

Thus, the PRINT procedure is the appropriate choice for displaying a listing of observations within a dataset, effectively facilitating data review and exploration.