Question 109·Easy·Text Structure and Purpose
In the city archives, the oldest maps were deteriorating because visitors handled them frequently. To preserve the collection, archivists photographed each map and created high‑resolution digital files. Visitors now consult the images on computer kiosks, while the fragile originals are kept in climate‑controlled storage.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
For overall-structure questions, first quickly summarize what each part of the passage is doing (for example: "sets up a problem," "describes a solution," "gives a result," "presents two views," "explains a process"). Then compare that simple map to each answer choice and eliminate any option that mentions elements not present in the text (like debates, experiments, or historical timelines). Focus on the logical order of ideas rather than individual words, and be wary of attractive phrases in choices that don’t actually match what happens in the passage.
Hints
Focus on the first sentence
Ask yourself: is the first sentence describing something positive, something negative, a disagreement, or a process? What is going wrong, if anything?
Look for what changes after the problem
In the middle of the passage, what do the archivists actually do in response to the situation described at the start?
Check what the last sentence is doing
Is the final sentence giving more details of the action, presenting pros and cons, criticizing the method, telling a history, or showing what happens after the action is taken?
Compare your summary to the choices
Summarize the passage in a simple pattern like: "First ____, then ____." See which answer choice best matches that pattern and does not add extra elements (like a debate, experiment, or history) that are not in the text.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify what happens in the first sentence
Read the first sentence: "In the city archives, the oldest maps were deteriorating because visitors handled them frequently." This sentence describes something going wrong: the maps are deteriorating. That is the problem the passage is about.
See what action is taken next
Look at the next part: "To preserve the collection, archivists photographed each map and created high‑resolution digital files." This explains what the archivists did about the problem. It is the solution to stop the maps from deteriorating: make digital copies.
Notice the outcome of that action
Now read the final sentence: "Visitors now consult the images on computer kiosks, while the fragile originals are kept in climate‑controlled storage." This shows the result of the solution: visitors use the digital images, and the originals are safely stored and protected.
Match the structure to the answer choices
Putting it all together, the passage presents (1) a problem with deteriorating maps, (2) a solution of photographing and digitizing them, and (3) the result, where visitors use kiosks and the originals are preserved. This pattern best matches choice A) The text identifies a problem, then presents a solution and its result.