The following text is from Charlotte Brontë's 1847 novel Jane Eyre. Jane, the narrator, works as a governess at Thornfield...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is from Charlotte Brontë's 1847 novel Jane Eyre. Jane, the narrator, works as a governess at Thornfield Hall.
I went on with my day's business tranquilly; but ever and anon vague suggestions kept wandering across my brain of reasons why I should quit Thornfield; and I kept involuntarily framing advertisements and pondering conjectures about new situations: these thoughts I did not think to check; they might germinate and bear fruit if they could.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
To convey a contrast between Jane's outward calmness and internal restlessness
To emphasize Jane's loyalty to the people she works for at Thornfield Hall
To demonstrate that Jane finds her situation both challenging and deeply fulfilling
To describe Jane's determination to secure employment outside of Thornfield Hall
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "I went on with my day's business tranquilly;" |
|
| "but ever and anon vague suggestions kept wandering across my brain of reasons why I should quit Thornfield;" |
|
| "and I kept involuntarily framing advertisements and pondering conjectures about new situations:" |
|
| "these thoughts I did not think to check; they might germinate and bear fruit if they could." |
|
Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Jane maintains outward composure while experiencing internal restlessness about her position at Thornfield.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes Jane's calm exterior behavior, then immediately contrasts this with her persistent internal thoughts about leaving her job. It shows that rather than fighting these thoughts, she's allowing them to develop naturally, creating a clear tension between appearance and inner reality.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? The main purpose of this text
What type of answer do we need? The overall function or goal of this passage
Any limiting keywords? "Main purpose" means we need the primary function, not a detail
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The right answer should capture the contrast between Jane's calm exterior and her restless internal thoughts about leaving
- The passage's purpose is to show this tension between appearance and reality
To convey a contrast between Jane's outward calmness and internal restlessness
✓ Correct - Perfectly captures the contrast: "outward calmness" vs "internal restlessness"
- Matches our prethinking exactly
To emphasize Jane's loyalty to the people she works for at Thornfield Hall
✗ Incorrect - Claims the passage emphasizes Jane's "loyalty" to her employers
- Nothing suggests loyalty, she's thinking about leaving
To demonstrate that Jane finds her situation both challenging and deeply fulfilling
✗ Incorrect - Says Jane finds her situation "deeply fulfilling"
- The passage shows the opposite, she's thinking about quitting
To describe Jane's determination to secure employment outside of Thornfield Hall
✗ Incorrect - Claims Jane is "determined to secure employment" elsewhere
- She's not determined, she's letting thoughts "wander" naturally