16Hit1600
Craft and StructureVery hardMain purpose of a text

Craft and Structure practice question

Every year, thousands of migrating birds die colliding with brightly lit office windows at night. Cities that have asked building owners to switch off unnecessary lights during the spring and autumn migrations have recorded sharp drops in collisions, at almost no cost to anyone. There is no good reason for more cities not to follow.

What is the main purpose of the text?

  1. A. To argue that more cities should adopt lights-out policies during bird migrations.Correct
  2. B. To explain why birds migrate at night.
  3. C. To describe how office buildings are lit.
  4. D. To compare the bird populations of different cities.

Answer: A. To argue that more cities should adopt lights-out policies during bird migrations.

The text sets out a problem, a cheap solution that has worked, and ends with a direct call for others to adopt it. Its purpose is to persuade.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. To explain why birds migrate at night.
The text never explains why migration happens at night; it takes that as given.
C. To describe how office buildings are lit.
Lighting is mentioned only as the cause of the problem, not described.
D. To compare the bird populations of different cities.
Cities are compared by policy, not by their bird populations.

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