Question 26·Medium·Text Structure and Purpose
For decades, the city of Saint-Pierre on the Caribbean island of Martinique was known primarily as a bustling port filled with cafés and theaters. Nicknamed the "Paris of the Antilles," it attracted tourists eager to enjoy its cosmopolitan charms and warm climate. That reputation ended abruptly in May 1902, when the nearby Mount Pelée volcano erupted, destroying the city in minutes. Historians today cite the catastrophe as a reminder of the dangers of ignoring early warning signs.
Which choice best states the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
For SAT "function" questions, first ignore the answer choices and quickly restate in your own words what the underlined part says and then what it does in the passage (for example, give background, introduce a contrast, provide an example, or explain a result). Next, look at the surrounding sentences to see how the underlined portion connects to the overall point or timeline. Only after that should you check the choices, crossing out any that mention ideas the underlined text never discusses (like a different time period, cause/effect, or comparison that isn’t actually made). This top-down approach helps you avoid being tricked by choices that reuse words from the passage but misdescribe the sentence’s role.
Hints
Locate and paraphrase the underlined portion
Focus only on the underlined sentence. In your own words, what information does it add about Saint-Pierre? Is the tone positive, negative, or neutral?
Check the timeline
Ask yourself: Is the underlined sentence describing the city before or after the volcanic eruption mentioned later in the paragraph?
Think about how it connects to the rest of the paragraph
How do the first two sentences work together, and how are they different from the sentence that begins, "That reputation ended abruptly"? What is being set up before the shift to the eruption?
Test each answer against the actual content
For each answer choice, ask: Does the underlined sentence actually do this? Does it mention destruction, reasons for visiting after 1902, or a detailed comparison with Paris—or does it do something else?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify what the question is asking
The question asks for the function of the underlined portion "in the text as a whole." That means you are not just paraphrasing what the sentence says; you must explain why the author included it and how it contributes to the entire paragraph.
Restate the underlined portion in your own words
The underlined portion says that Saint-Pierre was nicknamed the "Paris of the Antilles" and that it attracted tourists who wanted its cosmopolitan (worldly, sophisticated) atmosphere and warm weather.
In your own words, it is describing that the city was well-known, stylish, and appealing to visitors.
Connect the underlined portion to the surrounding sentences
Look at the full paragraph:
- The first sentence introduces Saint-Pierre as a bustling port with cafés and theaters.
- The underlined sentence adds that it was nicknamed the "Paris of the Antilles" and drew tourists for its charms and climate.
- The next sentence says that this reputation ended abruptly when a volcano erupted and destroyed the city.
- The final sentence explains how historians view the catastrophe today.
So, the underlined portion is part of the description of what the city was like before the eruption. It strengthens the idea that the city was thriving and attractive, which makes the later destruction more striking.
Match that role to the best answer choice
Now compare this role to the choices:
- It does not talk about the destruction itself; it talks about tourism and appeal.
- It is clearly about the period before 1902, not after.
- It does not truly compare the details of Saint-Pierre's culture to Paris’s; it just uses the nickname.
The only choice that correctly describes the sentence’s role—adding context that shows how prosperous and attractive the city was before the eruption—is B) It provides background information illustrating the city's prosperity before the eruption.