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Craft and StructureVery hardFunction of a qualifying sentence

Craft and Structure practice question

Solar panels have become dramatically cheaper, their price falling by around ninety percent since 2010. That has made solar the least expensive source of new electricity in many regions. The savings, though, arrive only when the sun does; storing power for use at night remains the costly part of the equation.

Which choice best describes the function of the last sentence in the text as a whole?

  1. A. It qualifies the preceding claims by pointing to a limitation that remains.Correct
  2. B. It contradicts the claim that solar panels have become cheaper.
  3. C. It gives a specific example of how inexpensive solar power has become.
  4. D. It explains why the price of solar panels fell.

Answer: A. It qualifies the preceding claims by pointing to a limitation that remains.

The first two sentences are positive; 'though' turns to what is still unsolved — storage. The last sentence doesn't deny the savings; it limits their scope. That is a qualification.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. It contradicts the claim that solar panels have become cheaper.
The sentence accepts the savings ('the savings ... arrive') and only limits when they apply.
C. It gives a specific example of how inexpensive solar power has become.
It's about the remaining cost of storage, not an example of cheapness.
D. It explains why the price of solar panels fell.
No reason for the price fall is given anywhere in the text.

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