Question 151·Easy·Text Structure and Purpose
Urban planners note that community gardens can strengthen neighborhoods by supplying fresh food and creating spaces where residents collaborate. In 2019, the city of Mapleton turned a trash-strewn vacant lot into a garden tended by volunteers; within months, more people gathered there after work, and fewer complaints about litter were filed. This result shows how a community garden can simultaneously encourage social connection and improve local conditions.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
For “function of a sentence” questions, first identify the main point of the passage or paragraph, then see how the highlighted sentence connects to that point: is it giving an example, explaining an example, restating the main idea, adding a contrast, or drawing a conclusion? Look for clue words like “this shows,” “however,” or “for example.” Then, eliminate answer choices whose described role (e.g., giving numbers, presenting a counterargument, questioning evidence) clearly does not match what the sentence actually does in context.
Hints
Zoom out to see the structure
First, ask yourself: What is the passage’s main point in the opening sentence, and what is the role of the Mapleton story that follows?
Focus on what “This result shows…” is doing
Look closely at the phrase “This result shows…” right before the underlined part. Is the sentence adding new evidence, interpreting earlier evidence, or arguing against it?
Test each answer type against the sentence
For each option, check: Does the underlined sentence bring up opposing ideas, numbers, or doubts—or does it do something else with the Mapleton example?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the passage’s general claim
Look at the first sentence: it says that community gardens can strengthen neighborhoods by supplying fresh food and creating spaces where residents collaborate.
So the general claim is that community gardens help neighborhoods by improving conditions and fostering social connection.
Understand the specific example
Next, the passage gives a specific case: the city of Mapleton turned a trash-strewn vacant lot into a garden. After that:
- More people gathered there after work (social connection).
- Fewer complaints about litter were filed (improved local conditions).
This is the evidence/example meant to show the general claim in action.
Examine the underlined sentence’s role
The underlined sentence says: “This result shows how a community garden can simultaneously encourage social connection and improve local conditions.”
Notice what it is doing:
- It refers back to “this result” (the changes in Mapleton).
- It restates the two parts of the general claim: social connection and better conditions.
So the sentence is interpreting the example and tying it back to the main idea, not introducing something new or opposite.
Match that role to the best choice
Now compare this function to the choices:
- It does not argue against the main point (so not a counterargument).
- It does not give numbers.
- It does not question Mapleton as an example.
Instead, it explains how the Mapleton results demonstrate the original claim about community gardens. Therefore, the correct answer is: “It explains how the specific example supports the passage's general claim.”