Question 71·Medium·Text Structure and Purpose
Historian Mary Rodriguez begins by summarizing a persistent myth about working conditions in nineteenth-century textile mills, arguing that the story of universally grim and unchanging hardship has become "textbook wisdom." She then presents payroll records, workers’ letters, and accident logs that show conditions varied widely by region and decade, directly challenging the myth. Finally, she explains that the myth survives because it offers a convenient narrative for modern labor activists seeking historical parallels.
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?
For overall structure questions, quickly summarize the passage in three parts: what it does at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end (for example: introduces an idea, provides evidence, then explains consequences). Ignore the specific topic details and instead focus on how the author builds the argument. Then compare your three-part summary to each answer choice’s pattern, eliminating any option that gets even one part (beginning, middle, or end) wrong or adds steps the passage never takes.
Hints
Identify what happens first
Focus on the very beginning: is Rodriguez putting forward a new idea of her own, or summarizing something people already believe?
Look at the role of the evidence
In the middle of the description, she brings in payroll records, letters, and accident logs. Ask yourself: are these used to support the initial story or to challenge it?
Pay attention to the final explanation
The last sentence doesn’t give more historical details about factory conditions. Instead, what question about the myth is it answering?
Compare your summary with each option’s pattern
In your own words, describe what happens in the beginning, middle, and end of the text, then pick the answer that follows the same three-part pattern.
Step-by-step Explanation
Restate what happens at the beginning of the text
Look at the first sentence: Rodriguez "begins by summarizing a persistent myth" and calls it "textbook wisdom." This means she is describing a belief that many people already accept as true, not giving her own new claim.
Describe the middle of the text
Next, the text says she "presents payroll records, workers’ letters, and accident logs" that show conditions "varied widely" and that this evidence "directly challeng[es] the myth." So in the middle, she is using concrete evidence to go against, or refute, the earlier belief.
Describe the end of the text
Finally, the passage says she "explains that the myth survives because it offers a convenient narrative for modern labor activists." Here she is not adding more evidence about the 1800s; instead, she is explaining why the false belief continues to exist today.
Match this pattern to the best answer choice
So the structure is: (1) describe a widely accepted belief, (2) refute that belief using evidence, and (3) discuss why that belief still continues. Answer choice C is the one that matches this exact pattern, so C is correct.