Question 10·Easy·Text Structure and Purpose
Do small library fines actually encourage patrons to return books on time? Recent evaluations across several cities suggest the opposite. Eliminating overdue fines appears to increase return rates and library use, particularly among low-income patrons. Several library systems reported more materials coming back and higher patron attendance after dropping fines, implying that late fees may deter, not promote, responsible borrowing.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
For questions about a sentence’s function, first quickly label what each sentence in the paragraph is doing (question, claim, explanation, example, evidence, definition, counterargument, etc.). Then, focus on how the underlined sentence connects to the sentences immediately before and after it: does it answer a question, introduce a point that later sentences support, or serve as an example of something already stated? Finally, match that role to the answer choice that best captures its relationship to the rest of the paragraph, and eliminate choices that describe roles you do not see (like definitions, opposing views, or research methods).
Hints
Look at the whole paragraph, not just the underlined sentence
Read all three sentences and think about how they connect: which one asks something, which one answers or explains, and which one gives more detail?
Ask how the underlined sentence relates to the first sentence
Does the underlined sentence give a definition, present an opposite view, answer the question, or describe how a study was done?
Check what the final sentence is doing
Does the last sentence argue against the underlined sentence, explain a word from it, give examples that fit with it, or describe research procedures?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify what each sentence is doing
First, look at the overall structure:
- Sentence 1: "Do small library fines actually encourage patrons to return books on time?" This is a question that introduces the topic.
- Underlined sentence: makes a clear statement about what happens when fines are eliminated.
- Final sentence: gives concrete examples from library systems ("reported more materials coming back and higher patron attendance") that relate to that statement.
So the underlined sentence is not just a detail; it is closely tied to the question and what the passage is trying to show.
See how the other sentences connect to the underlined sentence
Ask: How do the first and last sentences relate to the underlined sentence?
- The underlined sentence directly answers the question in the first sentence by saying what seems to happen when overdue fines are removed.
- The last sentence gives results and observations that match what the underlined sentence claims (more returns and higher attendance once fines are dropped).
This means the rest of the passage is arranged around the idea in the underlined sentence: the first sentence leads into it, and the last sentence supports it with specific evidence.
Match this role to the best answer choice
Now compare this role to the choices:
- One choice describes a sentence that states the main point of the paragraph, with later sentences giving supporting evidence.
- The other choices talk about defining a term, introducing an opposing view, or describing research methods, none of which match what the underlined sentence does.
Because the underlined sentence states the main idea that the passage then supports with examples, the correct answer is: A) It presents the passage's central claim, which the following sentences support with evidence.