Question 119·Medium·Text Structure and Purpose
Solar architect Lisa Felder envisions cities that both produce and conserve energy. Her latest design proposal centers on "energy canopies," vast networks of semi-transparent solar panels that would shade sidewalks while harvesting sunlight. If implemented, the canopies would not only lessen urban heat islands but also generate enough electricity to power public transit systems and street lighting, dramatically reducing municipal energy costs.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
For “function of a sentence” questions, first read at least one sentence before and after the targeted sentence to see how the ideas move. Ask what new role that sentence plays: does it introduce a specific example, define a key term, show a contrast, or explain a result? Then evaluate each answer choice by matching that role, and eliminate options that describe actions the sentence does not perform (such as contrasting, summarizing, or providing background) even if they reuse familiar words from the passage. Focus on the sentence’s job in the structure of the paragraph, not just its topic.
Hints
Read around the underlined sentence
Reread the sentence just before and just after the underlined sentence. Ask yourself: how does the underlined sentence connect those two ideas?
Focus on what’s new in the underlined sentence
Think about whether the underlined sentence is giving new information, explaining something that was already said, or comparing two different things.
Match function, not just keywords
Don’t pick an answer just because it mentions similar words (like “solar” or “architecture”). Instead, ask: does this answer describe the role this sentence plays in the passage’s overall flow?
Check the order of ideas
Notice which information comes before the underlined sentence and which comes after. Some answer choices depend on whether the sentence is summarizing earlier material or setting up material that follows.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the question type
The question asks for the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole. That means you need to decide what job this sentence is doing: is it giving background, giving an example, introducing a new idea, contrasting ideas, or summarizing something?
Restate what the underlined sentence actually says
The underlined sentence is: “Her latest design proposal centers on ‘energy canopies,’ vast networks of semi-transparent solar panels that would shade sidewalks while harvesting sunlight.”
In your own words, this sentence:
- Names Felder’s specific design proposal (“energy canopies”).
- Briefly explains what they are (networks of semi-transparent solar panels over sidewalks).
It does not talk about history, other people’s work, or earlier parts of the passage; it introduces this particular concept.
Connect the underlined sentence to its context
Look at what comes before and after the underlined sentence:
- Before: “Solar architect Lisa Felder envisions cities that both produce and conserve energy.” This is a broad statement about her general vision.
- Underlined: Gives the specific design that shows how she wants to achieve that vision.
- After: “If implemented, the canopies would not only lessen urban heat islands but also generate enough electricity…” This explains the effects and benefits of that design.
So the underlined sentence works as a bridge: it moves from a general vision to a concrete idea, which the rest of the passage then describes the benefits of.
Evaluate and eliminate incorrect answer choices
Now compare each option to what the sentence actually does:
- A) Background about recent advances: The sentence is about Felder’s specific proposal, not about general “recent advances in solar technology,” so this doesn’t match.
- C) Contrast with traditional methods: The sentence never mentions traditional urban planning or any comparison, so this is incorrect.
- D) Summarize benefits mentioned earlier: The benefits (lessening heat islands, powering transit, etc.) appear after the underlined sentence, not earlier, so the sentence cannot be summarizing them.
These three do not fit the sentence’s role, so they can be eliminated.
Confirm the correct function
With A, C, and D eliminated, the remaining choice says the sentence introduces the main innovation the passage goes on to explain and discuss—Felder’s “energy canopies.” That matches exactly what the sentence does between the general vision and the later description of benefits.
Correct answer: To introduce the primary innovation that the passage will further discuss.