Question 150·Hard·Text Structure and Purpose
"We don't need more data; we need better questions." That line is a refrain among researchers frustrated by the assumption that ever-larger datasets automatically yield insight. In a recent city initiative, air-quality sensors generated terabytes of readings, but officials defaulted to 'hotspot' maps that obscured what mattered for policy: exposure patterns along routes students actually walk. Only after asking that specific question did planners recognize that emissions surge during drop-off times near certain schools, suggesting targeted street closures rather than citywide alerts. This observation is not an indictment of data but a reminder of sequence: articulate the question first, then measure accordingly.
Which choice best describes the function of the quoted line in the text as a whole?
For function questions, first paraphrase the sentence in question, then ask how the rest of the paragraph relates to it: does it give an example, offer evidence, provide contrast, or refute it? Quickly scan the surrounding sentences (especially topic and concluding sentences) to see whether the passage agrees with or challenges that line, then eliminate choices that describe roles (like criticism, quote from a specific person, or technical detail) that don’t actually appear in the text. Focus on matching the relationship between the sentence and the rest of the passage, not on whether a choice sounds sophisticated.
Hints
Locate the key sentence and paraphrase it
Focus on the quoted sentence at the very beginning. In your own words, what is it saying about data and questions?
Check how the rest of the paragraph uses that sentence
Ask yourself: Does the paragraph seem to agree with that line and build on it, or challenge it and try to prove it wrong?
Look at the example of the city air-quality project
Think about why the author includes details about sensors, hotspot maps, and student routes. What earlier idea are these details supporting or illustrating?
Compare the role you identified to the answer choices
Decide whether the quoted line is a main idea, a criticism to be challenged, someone else’s opinion, or a technical warning, then choose the option that matches that role.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the quoted line in context
Read the first sentence: "We don't need more data; we need better questions."
Paraphrase it in your own words: the problem is not the amount of data, but the quality and focus of the questions we ask. This is a big, general statement about how people think about data, not something narrow or technical.
See how the rest of the paragraph relates to that line
Look at what comes after the quote:
- Researchers are "frustrated by the assumption" that more data automatically means more insight.
- The city air-quality project has tons of data, but officials use it in a way that "obscured what mattered".
- Only when planners ask a specific question (about students’ walking routes) do they get a useful insight that leads to targeted policy (street closures).
- The last sentence explicitly says this is "a reminder of sequence: articulate the question first, then measure accordingly."
All of this is an example and explanation showing that good questions must come before data collection and analysis—the same idea as in the quoted line.
Decide the quoted line’s role in the whole paragraph
Ask: Is the author arguing against the quoted line, or using it to frame the discussion?
The passage clearly agrees with the quote and builds on it:
- The frustration described matches the quote.
- The example of the city sensors shows why just having more data is not enough.
- The conclusion repeats the same idea about sequence (question first, then data).
So the quoted line is not something to be refuted or corrected; it is the main idea that the rest of the paragraph supports with a real-world case.
Match your understanding to the answer choices
Now compare that role to the options:
- One choice says the line states the author’s central claim, which the paragraph then backs up with an example. That matches exactly what we saw: a general statement followed by a specific city-initiative story that illustrates it.
- The other choices suggest the line is a criticism the author overturns, a claim that large datasets should be avoided, or a warning about the accuracy of sensor-based hotspot maps. Those don’t match the passage’s purpose: the paragraph uses the city story to show that asking the right question (about exposure along student routes) leads to better insight.
Therefore, the best answer is: It presents the author's central claim, which the paragraph then illustrates with an example.