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, summarize the passage in one simple sentence capturing the whole arc (not just the opening detail). Then eliminate choices that introduce goals the passage doesn’t have (arguments, warnings, or comparisons). Finally, choose the option that best matches the passage’s overall structure (here, a chronological account moving from invention to wide adoption).
Hints
Focus on the whole passage
Ask yourself: Is the author mainly explaining a process/history, arguing a point, or comparing things? Choose the option that fits the passage overall, not just the first sentence.
Track the passage’s timeline
Notice the passage moves in chronological order: a goal in the 1930s → nylon is created → it’s unveiled and demand rises → it’s used in many later products.
Beware of too-narrow purposes
Eliminate choices that focus only on why nylon was created or that introduce an argument/comparison the passage never makes.
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:
- It introduces Wallace Carothers and DuPont in the 1930s trying to make a silk-like synthetic fiber.
- It explains they produced nylon, notes its first major public debut (nylon stockings at the 1939 World’s Fair), and mentions demand.
- It then lists later uses (parachutes, guitar strings, automobile parts) and concludes that one breakthrough can affect many industries.
Put simply, it describes how nylon went from invention to widespread use.
Eliminate choices that don’t match the passage’s overall aim
Test each choice against the summary:
- “To explain why nylon was created as a synthetic rival to silk” is too narrow: the passage includes that goal, but spends most of its time on what happened next (debut and many later uses).
- “To argue that synthetic fibers like nylon should be used less often” doesn’t fit because the passage does not argue or advise; it stays factual.
- “To compare nylon with other synthetic materials from the 1930s” doesn’t fit because no other materials are discussed.
Select the choice that matches the whole passage
Because the passage primarily traces nylon from invention to broad adoption across products, the best answer is:
To describe how nylon was invented and then adopted in many products.