Question 20·Medium·Text Structure and Purpose
Beginning next year, packaged foods sold in the nation of Linnea will carry a new front-of-package label that displays, in large type, how many calories are in a single serving. The regulation was adopted after government surveys revealed that shoppers rarely flipped packages over to inspect traditional nutrition panels, which list calories in small print among other data. Officials expect the simplified label to encourage healthier choices by making calorie information immediate and unmistakable.
Which choice best describes the main purpose of the text?
For main purpose questions, first read the entire passage and then quickly summarize it in your own words in 5–10 seconds. Ask yourself: what is the author mainly doing—describing, explaining reasons, arguing, criticizing, or comparing? Then test each answer choice against that summary and against the whole passage, eliminating any option that introduces people, places, conflicts, or tasks (like other countries, resistance, or complex calculations) that the passage never mentions. The correct answer should match both the passage’s topic and its overall tone/action, without adding or exaggerating details.
Hints
Restate the passage in one sentence
Try to sum up the entire paragraph in a short sentence. Ask yourself: if I had to tell a friend what this is about in one breath, what would I say?
Look at who is acting and why
Notice who is mentioned (government officials, shoppers, manufacturers, other countries?) and what the government is doing. What problem are they responding to, and what outcome do they hope for?
Watch for missing topics in the choices
Check each answer choice and ask: does the passage actually talk about that idea (like other countries, conflict with companies, or complicated calculations), or is that being added in?
Use the first and last sentences
Reread the first and last sentences. The first introduces the new label; the last explains what officials expect it to do. Think about what kind of purpose fits both of those pieces together.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the task: main purpose
The question asks for the main purpose of the text. That means you should decide why the author wrote this whole paragraph, not just what one sentence says. Think about the overall action and goal of the paragraph.
Summarize what the passage says
Put the passage into your own words:
- Linnea will start putting a new label on the front of packaged foods showing calories in large type.
- This change happened because surveys showed shoppers rarely turned packages over to read the traditional, small-print nutrition panels.
- Officials believe the new, simpler label will make calorie information obvious and help people make healthier choices.
All three sentences are about the new label and the government’s reasons and expectations for it.
Notice what the passage does not do
Check for things that are missing:
- It does not attack or blame food manufacturers.
- It does not mention any other countries.
- It does not talk about how hard it is to calculate nutrition facts.
This helps you quickly eliminate answer choices that introduce ideas not found in the paragraph.
Match each answer choice to the passage
Compare each option with your summary:
- A mentions criticizing food manufacturers and resisting regulations—the passage never shows conflict or criticism.
- B mentions other countries and a comparison—the passage only talks about Linnea.
- C mentions complexity of calculating nutritional information—the passage talks about displaying information, not calculating it.
- D describes explaining the reasoning (the rationale) for a new labeling system, which matches the passage’s focus on why the label was adopted and what officials hope it will do.
So, the best answer is D) To explain the rationale behind Linnea’s new front-of-package food labeling system.