Question 158·Medium·Text Structure and Purpose
The following text is from an essay on creativity.
We call it "wasted time" when a worker stares out the window, as if only hands moving can count. Yet in the stillness, the mind arranges scattered fragments—the overheard remark, yesterday’s half-formed question—into something that will later look inevitable. Farmers leave a field fallow so the soil can gather strength; musicians leave rests so the melody can breathe. Perhaps the problem is not idleness but our measure of it.
Which choice best describes how the text develops its central idea?
For SAT questions about how a text develops its central idea, first quickly paraphrase what each part of the passage is doing (opening, middle, ending): is it stating a claim, giving an example, contrasting ideas, or drawing a conclusion? Then scan the answer choices and eliminate any that mention structures or features that simply are not present (like "scientific study," "step-by-step method," "historical overview," or "prediction"). Finally, choose the option whose description matches the sequence of moves you observed in the passage, not just its general topic words.
Hints
Focus on the opening line
Ask yourself: in the first sentence, is the author giving their own opinion, reporting a study, describing history, or describing what “we” usually think?
Watch for contrast words
Pay attention to the word "Yet" and the final sentence starting with "Perhaps". How do these words signal a shift in how the idea of "wasted time" is being treated?
Identify the kind of support used
Look at the mentions of farmers and musicians. What kind of evidence are these—statistics, historical dates, step-by-step instructions, or comparisons meant to illustrate an idea?
Match the pattern, not the topic
Ignore the topic words in the choices and focus on the structure they describe (for example, "introduces a study," "historical overview," "step-by-step method"). Which structure actually happens in this short paragraph?
Step-by-step Explanation
Summarize what happens in the first sentence
Read the opening: "We call it 'wasted time' when a worker stares out the window, as if only hands moving can count." The author is describing how people typically view a worker who appears idle. This is presented as a common belief or assumption about work and “wasted time,” not as research, history, or instructions.
Notice the shift signaled by "Yet"
The next sentence begins, "Yet in the stillness, the mind arranges scattered fragments..." The word "Yet" shows contrast: the author is pushing back against the initial belief. The writer explains that, during stillness, the mind is actively doing something important, even if the hands are not moving. This suggests the opening viewpoint is being questioned or challenged.
Identify the type of evidence the author uses
Look closely at the middle of the paragraph: "Farmers leave a field fallow so the soil can gather strength; musicians leave rests so the melody can breathe." These are analogies—comparisons to farming and music—to help the reader see idleness in a new way. The examples are not historical timelines, scientific studies, or step-by-step instructions; they are comparisons that reframe how we think about "idleness."
Connect the ending to the main pattern of development
The final sentence, "Perhaps the problem is not idleness but our measure of it," makes the author’s point clear: what we call "wasted" may actually be valuable. Putting it all together, the passage starts by stating a widespread assumption about idleness and then challenges that assumption using analogies that show idleness can be useful, which matches choice D: It begins by stating a common assumption and then challenges it through analogies that reframe the value of idleness.