Question 24·Hard·Text Structure and Purpose
Many urban public libraries have reported sharp declines in on-site visits over the past decade, leading some administrators to divert funding from traditional services to expanding digital collections. A recent survey of rural libraries, however, indicates that attendance at in-person events such as literacy workshops and community meetings has increased, motivating those libraries to enlarge rather than shrink their physical spaces. This contrast undermines the assumption that brick-and-mortar libraries are universally becoming obsolete and suggests that location-specific strategies, not one-size-fits-all reforms, will best serve patrons.
Which choice best states the primary purpose of the text?
For primary-purpose questions, first quickly paraphrase the whole passage in one simple sentence, then underline or mentally note the topic sentence and especially the final sentence, since conclusions often state the purpose directly. Next, test each answer choice by asking, “Does this describe what the entire passage is mainly doing, or just one detail?” Eliminate choices that introduce new goals (like specific funding preferences or claimed successes) that the passage never clearly argues, and choose the option that best matches your own neutral summary of the passage’s overall move or argument.
Hints
Focus on the structure of the paragraph
Notice how the passage starts with a description of urban libraries, then introduces information about rural libraries, and finally draws a conclusion in the last sentence. Ask yourself: What is the author trying to show by putting these two situations side by side?
Pay close attention to the last sentence
Reread the sentence that begins with "This contrast undermines the assumption..." What assumption is being discussed, and what does the author say the contrast does to that assumption?
Beware choices that zoom in on a minor detail
Some options focus on funding, digital collections, or how strategies were implemented. Ask: Is the passage mainly arguing for a specific policy or describing a process, or is it using an example to comment on a broader belief?
Step-by-step Explanation
Summarize what the passage is doing overall
Restate the passage in your own words: it describes urban libraries losing on-site visits and shifting money to digital collections, then introduces a survey of rural libraries where in-person attendance is actually increasing and physical spaces are expanding. Finally, it says this contrast weakens the idea that all physical libraries are becoming obsolete and mentions that different places may need different approaches.
Identify the main purpose, not side details
Ask: Why did the author bring up this contrast between urban and rural libraries? The key sentence is: "This contrast undermines the assumption that brick-and-mortar libraries are universally becoming obsolete..." That sentence tells you the author is using the rural example to push back against a broad assumption, and the mention of location-specific strategies is a follow-up implication, not the core purpose.
Match that purpose to the best answer choice
Now compare answer choices to this summary. Eliminate choices that focus on funding levels, digital improvements, or detailed implementation of strategies, since the passage does not mainly argue any of those points. The only choice that captures the idea of using evidence from rural libraries to question a broad belief about the decline of physical libraries is: To challenge a widely accepted view about the decline of physical libraries by presenting contradictory evidence.