Question 49·Easy·Text Structure and Purpose
The following text is from an unpublished memoir.
Some mornings the lake is empty, no fishermen, no rowboats—only the thin call of loons. Those are the mornings I like best, when the water lies still enough to reflect every cloud and I can imagine the entire shoreline is mine alone. Dad says it's selfish to want a place to yourself, that lakes are for sharing. I nod, but I also notice how quiet he grows on the dock before anyone else arrives.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
For main-purpose questions, summarize in one sentence what the entire passage is doing (e.g., creating a mood, describing a moment, presenting an argument). Then eliminate choices that focus on a minor detail or introduce a new goal the passage never develops, and pick the option that best matches the overall tone and focus.
Hints
Look for the big picture
Decide whether the passage is mainly describing a scene, telling a sequence of events, or arguing a claim.
Use a key line
Focus on what “Those are the mornings I like best” reveals about the narrator’s purpose in describing the lake.
Beware of answers that add new ideas
If an option introduces fishing lessons, a policy about lake ownership, or lots of wildlife description, check whether the passage actually develops that idea.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify what the passage mostly does
Ask what the passage is primarily doing overall (describing a scene, telling events, or making an argument).
Most of the passage paints a picture of a quiet morning at the lake—empty docks, still water, and a peaceful mood.
Match the tone to a purpose
Notice the narrator’s attitude: phrases like “Those are the mornings I like best” and the calm imagery show enjoyment of stillness and being alone.
The mention of Dad adds a small contrast, but it supports the theme of appreciating quiet rather than shifting the passage into an argument or narrative.
Eliminate choices that don’t fit
Remove options that introduce something the passage does not do:
- It does not explain learning to fish.
- It does not argue a policy about private lakes.
- It does not mainly catalog wildlife (loons are only a brief detail).
Choose the option that matches the overall purpose
The choice that best matches the passage’s overall purpose is:
To show the narrator’s enjoyment of the lake when it is quiet, empty, and still.