Question 28·Easy·Text Structure and Purpose
Many modern cities face challenges in balancing economic growth with environmental protection. In Riverside, city officials have proposed converting sections of the downtown industrial district into public green space. However, some residents worry that the plan will eliminate jobs. City planners counter that the factories targeted for removal have been operating below capacity for over a decade. They argue that replacing them with parks would increase tourism revenue and improve quality of life.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
For SAT questions about the function of a sentence, first separate the main positions or claims in the passage (who thinks what), then ask what job the specific sentence does in that argument: introduce a problem, explain it, give an example, provide evidence, or conclude. Pay close attention to whether the sentence supports or challenges a claim and whether it talks about present facts or future outcomes, then eliminate answer choices that describe a different role or time frame than what the sentence actually has.
Hints
Identify who is speaking and why
Ask yourself: whose viewpoint is the underlined sentence connected to—the residents’ or the city planners’? And is it part of a concern, or part of a response?
Focus on the phrase “operating below capacity”
Think about what it means for factories to be operating below capacity. How does that detail relate to the fear that jobs will be eliminated?
Think about the sentence’s purpose in the argument
Is this sentence raising a new problem, describing a worry, predicting an outcome, or giving a reason to support one side of the debate?
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the overall situation and claims
First, summarize the passage:
- Officials propose turning parts of an industrial district into green space.
- Some residents are worried that this plan will eliminate jobs.
- City planners respond to this worry and then argue the plan would bring benefits (tourism, quality of life).
So the key conflict is: residents’ concern about job loss versus planners’ defense of the plan.
Zoom in on the underlined sentence
The underlined sentence is: “the factories targeted for removal have been operating below capacity for over a decade.”
Ask: What does this information do?
- It describes the current condition of the factories.
- “Operating below capacity” suggests they are underused or not very busy.
- This makes the factories seem less essential for jobs than fully busy factories would be.
So this statement gives a reason why removing these particular factories might not cause as many job losses as residents fear.
Connect the sentence to the text as a whole
Now relate that sentence back to the whole passage:
- Residents say: removing factories = job loss.
- Planners answer: these factories are already underused.
Therefore, the sentence is part of the planners’ counterargument. It supports their position by providing a specific fact that weakens the residents’ concern about jobs.
Match this role to the best answer choice
Check each option against what the sentence actually does:
- It does not introduce a new issue; it deals with the same job-loss concern.
- It does not restate residents’ worries; instead, it responds to them.
- It does not talk about future tourism or economic benefits.
Instead, it provides a concrete fact that backs up the city planners’ claim that the plan is reasonable despite job-loss worries.
Correct answer: D) It offers evidence that supports the city planners’ claim.