Question 35·Medium·Text Structure and Purpose
For decades, many economists argued that when shoppers are confronted with an abundance of product choices, they become overwhelmed and end up buying less. But a recent analysis of millions of transactions on several large online marketplaces tells a different story: when those options are clearly sorted into intuitive categories, customers are more likely to make a purchase and later report greater satisfaction with what they bought.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
For “overall structure” questions, first break the passage into its main chunks (often each sentence or clause) and briefly summarize what each chunk is doing—stating a view, giving evidence, contrasting ideas, suggesting actions, etc. Then look for signaling words like “but,” “however,” or “therefore” to see how those chunks relate (contrast, cause–effect, support). Finally, eliminate any answer choices that add elements not in the text (like recommendations, detailed methods, or equal weighting of ideas) and choose the one that best matches both the number of parts and the logical relationship between them.
Hints
Identify the two main parts
Divide the passage into its two sentences. What is the first sentence mainly doing? What is the second sentence mainly doing?
Focus on the transition word
Look at the word that starts the second sentence: “But.” How does this word usually connect two ideas?
Check for what is not in the passage
Ask yourself: Does the passage describe experimental details, give business advice, or weigh two ideas as equally likely, or is it mainly contrasting an older view with newer findings?
Step-by-step Explanation
Summarize the first sentence
Read the first sentence and put it in your own words: for many years, economists have claimed that too many choices make shoppers overwhelmed so they buy less. This is describing an older, widely accepted idea or assumption about consumer behavior.
Examine the transition into the second sentence
Notice the word “But” at the start of the second sentence. This signals a contrast or disagreement with what came before, so you should expect the new information to challenge or overturn the earlier idea.
Summarize what the second sentence does
The second sentence describes a “recent analysis of millions of transactions” on large online marketplaces and says this evidence “tells a different story”: when choices are clearly categorized, people buy more and feel more satisfied. This is new evidence that goes against the old assumption about choice overload causing fewer purchases.
Match the structure you found to the answer choices
The passage first presents a long-held economic belief about choice overload, then contrasts it with new research that challenges that belief. The answer that best describes this pattern—introducing a longstanding assumption and then presenting new evidence that challenges it—is: D) It introduces a longstanding economic assumption, then presents new evidence that challenges that assumption.