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Craft and StructureHardFunction of a sentence that guards against overstatement

Craft and Structure practice question

Urban foxes are often blamed for raiding bins and killing pets. A study that tracked 60 foxes in one city found that most of their food came from scraps deliberately left out by residents, not from bins, and that attacks on pets were rare. The study does not show that foxes are harmless. It does show that the popular picture of them is largely wrong.

Which choice best describes the function of the sentence "The study does not show that foxes are harmless"?

  1. A. It heads off an overstatement of the study's findings before the author states the conclusion.Correct
  2. B. It summarises the study's method.
  3. C. It supports the popular picture of foxes.
  4. D. It presents the study's main finding.

Answer: A. It heads off an overstatement of the study's findings before the author states the conclusion.

A caveat before the conclusion.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. It summarises the study's method.
The method is in the second sentence.
C. It supports the popular picture of foxes.
The next sentence says the popular picture is wrong.
D. It presents the study's main finding.
The findings are in the second sentence.

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