Question 85·Medium·Text Structure and Purpose
The following text is from a memo by a city transit planner addressing riders' reactions to a new rail map.
Over the past month, we've heard many complaints about the new rail map: some say the river is missing, others say the stations look too close together. That reaction is understandable; the previous map traced every bend of track and every cove on the shoreline.
But a station map serves hurried travelers and must answer one question quickly: how to get from here to there. Our diagram trades geographic precision for navigational clarity. Straightened lines and evenly spaced stops make transfer points clear at a glance, and color carries each route without clutter. The terrain still exists—just not on this tool.
In time, we expect fewer missed connections and less crowding at notorious bottlenecks. The map is not a slight to the city's landscape; it is an invitation to move through it with less confusion.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
For main-purpose questions, read the whole passage but pay special attention to the first couple of sentences (which set up the issue) and the last couple of sentences (which often state the takeaway). Then, in one short sentence, describe what the author is mainly doing—explaining, arguing, criticizing, proposing, etc. Use that summary to test each answer: eliminate choices that focus on minor details, introduce ideas not mentioned (like other places, different time periods, or new plans), or misread the tone. Pick the option that best matches the passage’s overall job from start to finish, not just a single line.
Hints
Focus on the big picture, not a single detail
Before looking at the choices, sum up in your own words what the memo is mainly doing overall—responding to complaints, giving new information, telling a story, etc.
Pay attention to how the author addresses riders
Does the planner sound angry, apologetic, persuasive, or neutral toward the riders? Look closely at phrases like “that reaction is understandable” and the explanation of the map’s design.
Connect the beginning and the end
The first paragraph mentions complaints, and the last mentions expected benefits and reassurance. Ask yourself: what kind of purpose ties those together?
Test each answer against the whole passage
For each choice, ask: does the entire memo support this idea, or only a small part—or not at all? Eliminate any choice that introduces ideas (like other cities or station relocation) that are never discussed.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the situation and topic
The header says this is a memo by a city transit planner addressing riders' reactions to a new rail map. So the whole passage is about explaining or responding to how people feel about this new map.
Notice how the passage is organized
Look at the structure:
- First paragraph: Mentions complaints about the new map: missing river, stations too close together, and calls that reaction “understandable.” It contrasts the new map with the old, more detailed one.
- Second paragraph: Explains what a station map is for (“hurried travelers” needing to know “how to get from here to there”) and describes how the new map works ("trades geographic precision for navigational clarity," straight lines, evenly spaced stops, color-coded routes).
- Third paragraph: Predicts benefits (fewer missed connections, less crowding) and clarifies that the map is “not a slight” but an “invitation” to move through the city.
This pattern shows the author is responding to criticism and explaining the reasons for the new design.
Infer the author’s purpose and tone
Ask: Why is the planner writing this memo?
Key clues:
- Acknowledges complaints but calls them “understandable.”
- Justifies the design: “Our diagram trades geographic precision for navigational clarity.”
- Emphasizes benefits: “fewer missed connections and less crowding.”
- Reassures readers: “The map is not a slight to the city's landscape; it is an invitation...”
The tone is defensive but reassuring: the planner is justifying and supporting the new map, not attacking riders or proposing new construction.
Match the overall purpose to the answer choices
Now compare this overall purpose with each option:
- One option talks about proposing a plan to relocate stations—but the memo never suggests moving any stations, only changing how they are shown.
- Another option says the planner criticizes residents—but the memo calls their reaction “understandable” and explains, rather than scolding.
- Another suggests a comparison with other cities—but no other cities are mentioned at all.
- The remaining option describes defending the choice to use a simplified, clarity-focused map. That exactly fits the memo’s job: to answer complaints by explaining why the new, simpler map is helpful for navigation.
Therefore, the best answer is C) To defend the adoption of a simplified transit map aimed at clarity.