Question 42·Hard·Text Structure and Purpose
The following text is adapted from a museum curator’s note announcing a change in how certain paintings are displayed.
Some will think we have diminished the collection by moving half the Dutch paintings into the smaller east gallery. We have, I hope, done the reverse. In the larger rooms, the canvases, so steady in their light, were made to shout; here, their speaking voice can be heard. The new hang leaves more wall between pictures not because we wavered in our admiration, but because we would have you see the silence those painters prized.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
For main-purpose questions, paraphrase the passage in 1–2 simple sentences: what is the writer trying to do overall (reassure, justify, criticize, propose)? Then choose the option that matches that overall aim and tone. Be cautious of choices that (1) zoom in on a single detail (like wall spacing) or (2) overgeneralize the passage into a broad rule; the best answer captures the writer’s specific purpose in this text.
Hints
Focus on the opening contrast
Reread the first two sentences. What misunderstanding or criticism does the curator expect from visitors, and how does the curator respond to it?
Look at how the change is described
Pay attention to the images of the paintings “made to shout” in the large rooms versus their “speaking voice” and “silence” in the smaller gallery. Is the curator describing the change as good, bad, or neutral?
Match purpose, not a single detail
Don’t pick an answer just because it mentions one detail (like more wall space). Look for the choice that captures the overall job the curator is doing: responding to a concern and explaining the reason for the new arrangement.
Use the whole paragraph
Think about the paragraph as a whole: What is the curator trying to get visitors to understand or feel about the new arrangement of the Dutch paintings?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the question type
The question asks for the main purpose of the text. That means you should focus on what the curator is trying to accomplish overall (the reason for writing the note), not on small details or single phrases.
Paraphrase the passage’s main move
Look at the first two sentences:
- "Some will think we have diminished the collection..." shows the curator knows people might see the move to the smaller east gallery as a negative change.
- "We have, I hope, done the reverse" shows the curator disagrees and believes the change is actually positive.
The rest of the paragraph explains why the curator thinks the change is positive: the paintings were "made to shout" in the large rooms but can now be appreciated in their quieter "speaking voice," with more wall space and a focus on the "silence those painters prized." Overall, the curator is justifying and describing the benefits of the new arrangement.
Check which answer choices match that purpose
Now compare that understanding to each option:
- One option turns the passage into a general argument that Dutch paintings belong in smaller rooms; the curator is instead explaining this specific move and responding to a likely criticism.
- One option focuses only on wall spacing; while that detail appears, the curator’s broader purpose is to defend the relocation and reassure readers it’s not a diminishment.
- One option suggests regret that space limits force fewer paintings to be shown; the passage’s tone is not regretful but confident that the change improves how the paintings can be appreciated.
Eliminate those because they don’t capture the curator’s overall goal.
Choose the answer that matches the curator’s goal
The only option that matches the passage is the one that says the curator’s purpose is to explain that relocating the paintings is intended to improve the viewing experience rather than reduce the collection’s importance.