Question 29·Medium·Text Structure and Purpose
During the 1930s, chemist Wallace Carothers and his colleagues at the DuPont company sought to create a synthetic fiber that could rival silk. After numerous experiments, the team produced a polymer that could be drawn into fine threads possessing both strength and elasticity: nylon. DuPont unveiled nylon stockings at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, and demand quickly exceeded supply. In the decades that followed, nylon found uses not only in clothing but also in parachutes, guitar strings, and automobile parts. This versatility shows how a single laboratory breakthrough can transform multiple industries.
Which choice best states the primary purpose of the text?
For primary purpose questions, first read the whole passage and then force yourself to summarize it in a single simple sentence (e.g., “The author explains how X developed and was used”). Next, scan the answer choices and eliminate any that introduce topics, attitudes, or goals that are not clearly present (such as environmental warnings, cost claims, or detailed comparisons). Finally, pick the choice that best matches your one-sentence summary and the overall structure (chronological story, explanation, argument, etc.), rather than focusing on a single detail from the passage.
Hints
Look at the beginning and end of the passage
Reread the first sentence and the final sentence. Ask yourself: overall, is the author setting up a problem, making a judgment, giving a warning, or mainly describing a sequence of events and outcomes?
Check for argument or warning language
Scan for words that signal opinion or caution, such as "should," "must," "unfortunately," "dangerous," or strong comparisons like "better" and "worse." Are those present, or is the tone mostly factual and descriptive?
Notice the structure
Pay attention to time words and phrases: "During the 1930s," "After," "DuPont unveiled," "In the decades that followed." What does this chronological structure suggest about what the author is doing?
Ask what the passage is mainly about
If you had to summarize the passage in one simple sentence, what would it be? Then choose the answer that best matches that one-sentence summary, not just one detail like silk or the 1930s.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the question type
The question asks for the primary purpose of the text. That means you need to decide what the author is mainly doing in the entire passage, not just in one sentence. Common purposes include: telling a story, explaining a process, arguing a point, warning about a problem, or comparing things.
Summarize the passage in your own words
Quickly restate the passage:
- First, it introduces Wallace Carothers and DuPont in the 1930s, trying to create a silk-like synthetic fiber.
- Then, it explains that they produced nylon, describes its properties (strength and elasticity), and notes its first big public debut: nylon stockings at the 1939 World’s Fair.
- Next, it says demand quickly exceeded supply.
- Finally, it lists several later uses (parachutes, guitar strings, automobile parts) and concludes that this shows how one lab breakthrough can change many industries.
Put simply, it tells the story of how nylon went from a lab invention to many real-world uses.
Match answer choices to what the passage actually does
Now test each choice against your summary:
- Does the passage argue that nylon is better than silk in specific ways? It mentions silk once as something nylon could “rival,” but gives no detailed comparison or argument about durability or cost.
- Does the passage warn about problems with nylon or synthetic fibers? There is no mention of harm, risks, or environmental issues; the tone is neutral-to-positive.
- Does the passage compare nylon with other polymers from the 1930s? It only talks about nylon, not about multiple polymers side by side.
- One choice should reflect that the passage traces nylon’s path from invention in the lab to widespread, varied uses. That is the overall structure and focus.
Select the purpose that fits the whole passage
Because the text mainly tells the story of nylon’s development from a laboratory discovery to many commercial applications, the best answer is:
B) To narrate how the invention of nylon moved from laboratory discovery to widespread commercial applications.