Question 79·Easy·Text Structure and Purpose
To alleviate rising summer temperatures, the city of Barcelona has launched a program to install green roofs and vertical gardens on public buildings. Early monitoring shows that these vegetated surfaces lower indoor cooling costs, reduce air pollution, and create habitats for urban wildlife. Encouraged by the positive results, city officials have announced plans to expand the initiative to private structures and transit stations over the next five years.
Which choice best states the primary purpose of the text?
For primary purpose questions, first summarize the passage in your own words in 5–10 seconds, then look for the answer choice that matches that summary without adding new information. Quickly eliminate any option that mentions topics not in the passage (like other cities, costs, or long histories here) or that suggests a different tone (such as strong criticism when the passage sounds positive). Focus on what the passage does most overall—describe, argue, compare, narrate—and choose the answer that best captures that main function.
Hints
Focus on the main idea, not small details
Ask yourself: if you had to tell a friend in one sentence what this passage is mainly about, what would you say?
Look for the author’s attitude
Does the passage sound positive, negative, or neutral toward Barcelona’s program? Look at words like "alleviate," "positive results," and the description of what the roofs do.
Eliminate choices that add things not in the passage
Check whether the passage actually talks about other cities, about high costs and problems, or about a long history. If an answer mentions something that never appears, cross it out.
Ask what kind of information is in the middle sentences
Are those sentences listing problems, timelines, comparisons, or results? That will guide you toward the purpose.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the topic of the passage
Read the passage and note what it is mainly about. The text describes Barcelona’s program to install green roofs and vertical gardens on public buildings and then mentions that officials plan to expand the program to other structures.
Notice what details are emphasized
Look at the middle of the passage: it explains what the vegetated surfaces do—"lower indoor cooling costs, reduce air pollution, and create habitats for urban wildlife." These are all positive outcomes or advantages of the program.
Check whether the passage compares, criticizes, or gives a history
Ask yourself:
- Does the passage compare Barcelona’s program to other cities? (No other cities are mentioned.)
- Does it complain about or focus on the cost of green roofs? (Costs are only mentioned as being lowered, not criticized.)
- Does it trace the history of urban planning in Barcelona? (It only talks about one current program and its future expansion.) So the passage is not doing any of those things.
Match the overall focus to the best answer choice
Since the passage describes one specific program and stresses its positive outcomes for the city’s environment (and related benefits), the best description of its primary purpose is “To highlight the environmental benefits of Barcelona's green roof initiative.”