The following text is adapted from Louisa May Alcott's 1869 novel An Old-Fashioned Girl. Polly, a teenager, is visiting her...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is adapted from Louisa May Alcott's 1869 novel An Old-Fashioned Girl. Polly, a teenager, is visiting her friend Fanny.
Fanny's friends did not interest Polly much; she was rather afraid of them [because] they seemed so much older and wiser than herself, even those younger in years. They talked about things of which she knew nothing and when Fanny tried to explain, she didn't find them interesting; indeed, some of them rather shocked and puzzled her.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
To portray Polly's reaction to Fanny's friends
To identify the topics Polly talks about with Fanny's friends
To explain how Fanny met some of her friends
To illustrate how Fanny's friends feel about Polly
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| Fanny's friends did not interest Polly much; |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The text describes Polly's uncomfortable and disinterested reaction to Fanny's friends, who seemed more sophisticated than her.
To portray Polly's reaction to Fanny's friends
✓ Correct
- This perfectly matches our analysis - the entire passage focuses on Polly's various reactions
To identify the topics Polly talks about with Fanny's friends
✗ Incorrect
- The passage doesn't identify what topics Polly discusses with the friends
To explain how Fanny met some of her friends
✗ Incorrect
- The passage gives no information about how Fanny met her friends
To illustrate how Fanny's friends feel about Polly
✗ Incorrect
- The passage focuses entirely on Polly's feelings, not on how Fanny's friends feel about Polly