Question 128·Medium·Text Structure and Purpose
Mrs. Langford paused at the threshold of the classroom, surveying the bright faces turned toward her. She cleared her throat, but her smile remained steady. What she said next seemed less addressed to her students than to herself. "We begin, not because we are ready, but because the moment asks it of us," she announced. The students looked at one another, unsure whether to nod or take notes, until Mrs. Langford strode to the board and began writing dates in bold strokes.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the overall structure of the text?
For SAT “function in the passage” questions, first bracket the target sentence and read one or two sentences before and after it. Ask: What new information does this sentence add? Does it explain, contrast, transition, or interpret something? Then eliminate any choices that (1) focus on the wrong subject (e.g., students instead of the teacher), (2) describe something handled by a different sentence (such as a later reaction), or (3) claim the sentence is unrelated when it clearly connects to nearby lines. Choose the option that best matches the sentence’s specific role in linking and shaping the surrounding ideas.
Hints
Locate what comes right before and after
Re-read the sentence just before the underlined part and the sentence with the spoken quotation after it. Ask yourself: how does the underlined sentence connect these two?
Ask who the sentence is mainly about
Notice whether the underlined sentence is focusing on Mrs. Langford, the students, or the narrator’s opinion. This can help you eliminate choices that focus on the wrong group.
Decide whether it looks forward or backward
Does the underlined sentence seem to be hinting at something that will happen later, commenting on what already happened, or helping you understand what is about to be said?
Match each option to what the sentence actually does
Take each answer choice and check: does the underlined sentence really perform that role in the paragraph, or is that role handled by a different sentence?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the task: function in the passage
The question asks about the function of the underlined sentence in the overall structure of the text. That means you need to determine what role this sentence plays in connecting or explaining the surrounding sentences, not just what it literally says.
Carefully read the underlined sentence in context
Read the sentences before and after the underlined part:
- Before: the narrator describes Mrs. Langford entering the classroom and her behavior (pausing, surveying faces, clearing her throat, smiling).
- Underlined: "What she said next seemed less addressed to her students than to herself."
- After: we see what she says next: "We begin, not because we are ready, but because the moment asks it of us," followed by the students’ confused reaction.
Ask: What new information does the underlined sentence add between the physical description and the spoken quotation?
Determine what the underlined sentence is actually about
The underlined sentence is not describing what she says; it is commenting on how to understand what she is about to say. It tells us that her words are directed inward, almost like she is talking to herself, even though she is speaking out loud to the class. This gives us a lens for interpreting the quotation that follows.
Check each answer choice against the sentence’s role
Now compare that role to the options:
- A) It foreshadows the students’ uncertainty described later. The underlined sentence focuses on to whom the words are directed (herself vs. students), not on predicting how the students will feel later.
- B) It interrupts the narrative with commentary unrelated to the events. The commentary is directly related; it explains how to understand the words she is about to say.
- D) It summarizes the classroom’s reaction to Mrs. Langford’s statement. The classroom’s reaction comes after the quotation (students looking at one another, unsure). The underlined sentence comes before and is about Mrs. Langford, not the students.
The only choice that correctly captures this bridging, interpretive role—explaining how to understand her upcoming statement and what’s going on inside her—is: C) It clarifies Mrs. Langford’s emotional context, preparing readers for the quotation that follows.