Craft and StructureHardMain purpose of an argument reframing a choice
Craft and Structure practice question
Every winter the city salts its roads, and every spring its rivers carry that salt to the sea, killing the freshwater life in between. Grit works nearly as well on ice, costs a little more, and washes away as harmless sand. The choice the city makes each November is not between safety and expense; it is between a small bill now and a dead river later.
What is the main purpose of the text?
- A. To argue that the city should switch from salt to grit.Correct
- B. To explain how salt melts ice.
- C. To describe the life cycle of freshwater species.
- D. To praise the city's record on winter road safety.
Answer: A. To argue that the city should switch from salt to grit.
Salt's harm, grit's adequacy, and a final sentence reframing the decision — the text is a case for grit.
Why the other answers are wrong
- B. To explain how salt melts ice.
- The chemistry of melting is never explained.
- C. To describe the life cycle of freshwater species.
- River life is mentioned only as what salt kills.
- D. To praise the city's record on winter road safety.
- The text criticises the city's practice rather than praising it.
More Craft and Structure questions
- Hard
What is the main purpose of the text? - Hard
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined final sentence in the text as a whole? - Hard
Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text? - Hard
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word? - Hard
Which choice completes the text with the most logical and precise word? - Hard
What is the main purpose of the text?
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