Question 77·Medium·Text Structure and Purpose
When a nonprofit tracked library checkouts of do-it-yourself manuals, they found spikes near local storms. Librarian Ana Chen notes that diaries show residents used guides to retrofit windows. But the report emphasizes that the manuals alone did not drive preparedness; workshops where neighbors practiced together built the confidence needed to act. Chen argues that to measure a library's impact, researchers should count not just circulation but also the skills people can use in emergencies.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
For SAT purpose/function questions, first read a few sentences before and after the targeted line to see how ideas connect. Pay special attention to transition words (like "but," "however," "for example") because they signal whether the sentence is adding, contrasting, or explaining something. Then briefly restate in your own words what the sentence is doing (e.g., adding an example, qualifying a claim, showing a result) and finally pick the answer that matches that role while eliminating choices that introduce new topics, add details that aren’t in the text, or change the tone (such as adding criticism or history that the passage never mentions).
Hints
Look at the sentence before the underlined one
Ask yourself: What claim is made about manuals and preparedness right before the underlined sentence?
Pay attention to the word "But"
The underlined sentence starts with a contrast word. Is it completely changing the topic, or is it adjusting something that was just said?
Summarize the underlined sentence in your own words
Without looking at the choices, say briefly what the sentence adds to the discussion about how the library helps residents prepare.
Check for matches and mismatches with the answer choices
Eliminate any choices that talk about a new topic, a detailed history, or harsh criticism, and keep the one that best fits the role you summarized.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand the main idea before the underlined sentence
Read the first part of the passage: a nonprofit sees spikes in do-it-yourself manual checkouts near storms, and diaries show residents used guides to retrofit windows. This sets up an idea that printed manuals from the library are helping people prepare.
Focus on the transition word in the underlined sentence
The underlined sentence begins with "But", which signals a contrast or qualification. That means the sentence is going to adjust or limit the idea that came just before it, not introduce something totally unrelated.
Explain what the underlined sentence actually says
The sentence says the manuals alone did not drive preparedness; instead, workshops where neighbors practiced together built the needed confidence. So, it is still about library efforts, but it stresses that another element (workshops) is also very important for preparedness.
Connect this function to the passage as a whole and pick the matching choice
Overall, the passage argues that to measure a library's impact, you must look beyond just how many manuals people check out and also consider the skills and confidence people gain (for example, through workshops). The underlined sentence modifies the earlier claim about manuals by adding workshops as a crucial factor in preparedness, so the best description of its function is: It qualifies the idea about manuals by adding workshops as another cause of preparedness.