Question 103·Easy·Inferences
The city library recently installed self-checkout kiosks, which allow patrons to borrow books without staff assistance. According to library director Maya Gupta, the new machines will allow librarians to spend more time leading reading programs and community workshops. The library invested in the kiosks because ______
Which choice most logically completes the text?
For SAT "complete the text" questions, identify the blank’s logical job (cause, effect, contrast, example). Then paraphrase what the text already supports and choose the option that best matches that supported idea. Eliminate choices that introduce new motivations or details not stated in the passage.
Hints
Focus on the word "because"
Look at the sentence containing the blank: what kind of information has to come after the word "because"?
Use the sentence before the blank
Reread what the machines will allow librarians to do more of. How would that explain the library’s decision?
Watch out for new, unsupported ideas
If a choice talks about something the passage never mentions (money, patron requests, fees), it’s probably not supported.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify what the blank is asking for
In the final sentence, the word "because" signals that the blank must provide the library’s reason for investing in the kiosks.
Use the stated benefit as the reason
The passage explains that the kiosks will allow librarians to spend more time leading reading programs and community workshops. That implies the kiosks are meant to free up librarians’ time for those activities.
Eliminate choices that add new information
Choices about patron demands, lower maintenance costs, or late-fee policies introduce ideas not mentioned in the text, so they are not logically supported.
Select the choice that matches the text
Therefore, the best completion is:
the kiosks free librarians to lead more programs and workshops.