The following text is from Betty Smith's 1943 novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Francie, a young girl, visits the...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is from Betty Smith's 1943 novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Francie, a young girl, visits the library often.
Francie thought that all the books in the world were in that library and she had a plan about reading all the books in the world. She was reading a book a day in alphabetical order and not skipping the dry ones. She remembered that the first author had been Abbott. She had been reading a book a day for a long time now and she was still in the B's. Already she had read about bees and buffaloes, Bermuda vacations and Byzantine architecture. For all her enthusiasm, she had to admit that some of the B's had been hard going. But Francie was a reader.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
To illustrate Francie's enjoyment of an unusual topic
To explain why Francie prefers reading over other activities
To portray Francie's determination to meet a goal
To describe a book that Francie greatly admires
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "Francie thought that all the books in the world were in that library and she had a plan about reading all the books in the world." |
|
| "She was reading a book a day in alphabetical order and not skipping the dry ones." |
|
| "She remembered that the first author had been Abbott." |
|
| "She had been reading a book a day for a long time now and she was still in the B's." |
|
| "Already she had read about bees and buffaloes, Bermuda vacations and Byzantine architecture." |
|
| "For all her enthusiasm, she had to admit that some of the B's had been hard going." |
|
| "But Francie was a reader." |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The text portrays Francie as someone with unwavering determination to systematically read through an enormous collection of books, despite encountering difficult material.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes Francie's ambitious goal and systematic method, then shows the immense scope of her undertaking through time and examples. It acknowledges the challenges she faces but concludes by emphasizing her identity as a reader, reinforcing her determination to continue despite difficulties.
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 intent of the passage
Any limiting keywords? "main purpose" - we're looking for the central goal, not secondary elements
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The passage focuses heavily on Francie's systematic approach - reading alphabetically, not skipping difficult books, continuing for a long time despite being only in the B's
- The key elements we need are her ambitious goal, her methodical approach, and most importantly, her persistence despite challenges
- The final line "But Francie was a reader" serves as a character statement emphasizing her determination
- The right answer should capture this theme of persistence and determination toward achieving a challenging goal, rather than focusing on her enjoyment, preferences, or specific books
To illustrate Francie's enjoyment of an unusual topic
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the text illustrates Francie's enjoyment of an unusual topic
- The passage isn't about enjoying an unusual topic - it's about her systematic approach to reading many different topics
- The focus is on her method and persistence, not enjoyment of any particular subject matter
To explain why Francie prefers reading over other activities
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the text explains why Francie prefers reading over other activities
- The passage never compares reading to other activities or explains her preferences
- Students might assume that because Francie reads so much, the passage must be explaining her preferences, but the text doesn't actually make any comparisons
To portray Francie's determination to meet a goal
✓ Correct
- Captures Francie's systematic plan to read all books alphabetically without skipping difficult ones
- Matches the emphasis on her persistence - she's been at it "a long time" and continues despite some books being "hard going"
- The concluding line "But Francie was a reader" reinforces this determination to meet her ambitious goal
To describe a book that Francie greatly admires
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the text describes a specific book that Francie greatly admires
- The passage mentions multiple topics (bees, buffaloes, etc.) but doesn't focus on or describe any single book in detail
- No indication of admiration for any particular book - if anything, some were "hard going"