Question 44·Medium·Text Structure and Purpose
The following text is adapted from Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel "Little Women". The March sisters have just finished supper and are tidying the kitchen.
Meg glanced at the clock, wiped the last dish, and set it gently on the shelf. “There,” she sighed with satisfaction, “Mother will have nothing to scold about tonight.” Jo twirled the apron string around her finger, clearly restless. “I wish the dishes would wash themselves,” she muttered, “then we might have time for a meeting of the Pickwick Club.” Amy, who had been admiring her reflection in the window, replied, “If we finished sooner, we should still look presentable when Mr. Laurence calls.” At this, Beth quietly placed another towel in Meg’s hand and whispered, “Let us hurry, then.” Meg smiled at this alliance of impatience and vanity, and, after distributing tasks with brisk authority, had the kitchen in order within minutes.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
For structure questions, map the passage into 2–3 large moves (beginning/middle/end): identify what the opening sets up, what the middle primarily consists of (narration vs. dialogue, examples, reasons, contrast), and what the ending does (resolution, next step, consequence). Then pick the choice that matches that sequence and eliminate choices that introduce events or shifts not actually present.
Hints
Track the sequence
Briefly note what the passage does in the first sentence, what it spends most of the middle on, and what happens in the final sentence.
Focus on roles of dialogue vs. narration
Ask yourself: does the dialogue mainly reveal reasons/motivations, create a conflict, or introduce a flashback or moral lesson?
Eliminate choices that mention events not in the excerpt
Cross out any option that refers to a flashback, an outsider resolving a dispute, or a philosophical digression—those would be obvious shifts you would see in the text.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify what happens at the beginning
The opening focuses on Meg finishing up: she checks the clock, wipes the last dish, and puts it away. This sets the scene with a household task being completed.
Describe what the middle emphasizes
The middle is mostly dialogue. Each sister reveals a different motivation for hurrying: Jo wants time for the Pickwick Club, Amy wants to look presentable for Mr. Laurence, and Beth urges them along.
Identify how the passage ends
At the end, Meg takes charge by distributing tasks and quickly getting the kitchen in order. This action responds directly to the sisters’ expressed reasons for wanting to finish.
Match that sequence to the best structural description
The structure is beginning (Meg finishing a task) → middle (reasons given through discussion) → end (Meg organizes everyone to finish quickly). Therefore, the best answer is: It begins with Meg finishing the dishes, shifts to the sisters’ reasons for hurrying, and ends with Meg organizing them to finish quickly.