The following text is adapted from Pam Muñoz Ryan's 2020 novel Mañanaland. In the village where Max lives, there is...

GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions

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Craft and Structure

Text Structure and Purpose

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The following text is adapted from Pam Muñoz Ryan's 2020 novel Mañanaland. In the village where Max lives, there is an old fortress called La Reina. Children in the village say that the fortress is haunted.

For as long as he could remember, Max had begged Papá [his father] to take him to see La Reina and the ruins up close. He'd be a hero among his friends if he was the first boy to cross the haunted gates! Just because Papá didn't believe in ghosts didn't mean they weren't there. Maybe this summer Papá would finally take him. He was almost twelve.

Which choice best describes the overall purpose of the text?

To portray how proud Max's father is of Max

To explain why Max doesn't want to grow up yet

To criticize Max for disliking summer

To show how much Max wants to visit La Reina

Solution

Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage

Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table

Text from Passage	Analysis
'For as long as he could remember, Max had begged Papá [his father] to take him to see La Reina and the ruins up close.'	What it says: Max begged dad repeatedly to visit La Reina fortress What it does: Introduces Max's long-standing desire to visit the fortress What it is: Background/context
'He'd be a hero among his friends if he was the first boy to cross the haunted gates!'	What it says: Would be hero if first boy to enter What it does: Explains Max's motivation for wanting to visit What it is: Personal motivation
'Just because Papá didn't believe in ghosts didn't mean they weren't there.'	What it says: Dad doesn't believe ghosts, but Max thinks they might exist What it does: Contrasts with what we just read about Max's father's skepticism What it is: Character contrast
'Maybe this summer Papá would finally take him.'	What it says: Hopes dad will take him this summer What it does: Presents Max's current hope/expectation What it is: Future possibility
'He was almost twelve.'	What it says: Max is almost 12 years old What it does: Provides context for why this summer might be different What it is: Supporting detail

Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements

Main Point: The passage shows Max's intense, long-standing desire to visit the haunted fortress La Reina.

Argument Flow: The text opens by establishing Max's persistent desire to visit La Reina, then explains his motivation (becoming a hero among friends), acknowledges a difference in belief between him and his father about ghosts, and concludes with his current hope that this summer might finally be the time, given that he's almost twelve.

Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely

What's being asked? The overall purpose of the entire text—what the passage as a whole is trying to accomplish or communicate.

What type of answer do we need? A purpose statement that captures the main function or goal of the passage.

Any limiting keywords? 'Overall purpose' tells us we need to consider the passage as a unified whole, not just individual parts.

Step 3: Prethink the Answer

The correct answer should capture that this passage is fundamentally about Max's strong desire to visit La Reina
Every detail we learned—his repeated begging, his dreams of being a hero, his hope for this summer—all points to showing us how much he wants to go there
The passage isn't really about his father's pride, growing up, or disliking summer
It's about showcasing the intensity of Max's wish to visit this fortress

Answer Choices Explained

To portray how proud Max's father is of Max

✗ Incorrect

This choice focuses on the father's pride in Max
The passage doesn't actually show Papá being proud—if anything, it shows him being reluctant since Max has been begging 'for as long as he could remember'
The passage is centered on Max's feelings and desires, not his father's emotions

To explain why Max doesn't want to grow up yet

✗ Incorrect

This suggests Max doesn't want to grow up, but the passage shows the opposite
Max is looking forward to being almost twelve because he thinks it might help convince his father
His age is presented as a reason why this summer might work, not as something he's reluctant about

To criticize Max for disliking summer

✗ Incorrect

The passage never criticizes Max or suggests he dislikes summer
In fact, Max is hopeful about summer—he thinks 'maybe this summer' his father will take him
There's no negative judgment of Max's character anywhere in the text

To show how much Max wants to visit La Reina

✓ Correct

This perfectly captures what the entire passage demonstrates
Every detail supports showing Max's intense desire: his persistent begging, his dream of being a hero, his current hope for this summer
The passage structure builds around this central want, making it the clear overall purpose

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