The following text is from John Dryden's 1697 translation of Virgil's poem the Aeneid, written in the first century BCE....
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is from John Dryden's 1697 translation of Virgil's poem the Aeneid, written in the first century BCE. Queen Dido has just heard the Trojan hero Aeneas recount a sad tale.
But anxious cares already seiz'd the queen:
She fed within her veins a flame unseen;
The hero's valor, acts, and birth inspire
Her soul with love, and fan the secret fire.
His words, his looks, imprinted in her heart,
Improve the passion, and increase the smart.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
To indicate that Dido is hiding her skepticism of Aeneas's account
To emphasize that Dido has been deeply affected by Aeneas's story
To imply that Dido engages both emotionally and intellectually with Aeneas
To suggest that Dido is worried that Aeneas might discover a secret she is keeping from him
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "But anxious cares already seiz'd the queen:" |
|
| "She fed within her veins a flame unseen;" |
|
| "The hero's valor, acts, and birth inspire Her soul with love, and fan the secret fire." |
|
| "His words, his looks, imprinted in her heart," |
|
| "Improve the passion, and increase the smart." |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture
Main Point: The passage describes how Queen Dido has been emotionally overwhelmed by Aeneas's story, developing intense romantic feelings that are growing stronger and more painful.
Argument Flow: We first learn that Dido is experiencing internal turmoil. The passage then reveals this is romantic passion sparked by everything about Aeneas. Finally, we see that these feelings are intensifying, creating both passion and emotional pain.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The main purpose of the entire text
What type of answer do we need? The primary function or goal of what the author wrote
Any limiting keywords? "Main purpose" tells us to focus on the central, overarching function
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The passage is entirely focused on Dido's internal emotional experience after hearing Aeneas's story
- The text shows us that she's developing intense romantic feelings that are getting stronger and causing emotional pain
- Every detail points to how profoundly Aeneas's story and presence have affected her emotionally
- The right answer should capture that this passage's main job is to show the deep emotional impact Aeneas's story has had on Dido
To indicate that Dido is hiding her skepticism of Aeneas's account
- This suggests Dido is hiding doubt about whether Aeneas's story is true
- Nothing in the passage indicates skepticism
- The "flame unseen" and "secret fire" refer to hidden love, not hidden doubt
To emphasize that Dido has been deeply affected by Aeneas's story
- Perfectly captures that Dido has been profoundly impacted emotionally
- "Deeply affected" matches the intensity shown through phrases like "seiz'd the queen" and "imprinted in her heart"
To imply that Dido engages both emotionally and intellectually with Aeneas
- While Dido is clearly engaging emotionally, there's no evidence of intellectual engagement
- The passage focuses entirely on feelings, not thoughts or analysis
To suggest that Dido is worried that Aeneas might discover a secret she is keeping from him
- Misinterprets the "secret fire" as something Dido is hiding from Aeneas
- The passage presents this as internal romantic feelings, not a pre-existing secret