The following text is from Holly Goldberg Sloan's 2017 novel Short.More than two years ago my parents bought a piano...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is from Holly Goldberg Sloan's 2017 novel Short.
More than two years ago my parents bought a piano from some people who were moving to Utah. Mom and Dad gave it to my brothers and me for Christmas. I had to act really happy because it was such a big present, but I pretty much hated the thing from the second it was carried into the hallway upstairs, which is right next to my bedroom. The piano glared at me. It was like a songbird in a cage. It wanted to be set free.
©2017 by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
It explains why the narrator always wanted a piano close to her bedroom.
It establishes how the narrator feels about the piano.
It suggests that the narrator's brothers are talented piano players.
It describes the event that led the narrator's parents to buy a piano.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "More than two years ago my parents bought a piano from some people who were moving to Utah." |
|
| "Mom and Dad gave it to my brothers and me for Christmas." |
|
| "I had to act really happy because it was such a big present," |
|
| "but I pretty much hated the thing from the second it was carried into the hallway upstairs, which is right next to my bedroom." |
|
| "The piano glared at me." |
|
| "It was like a songbird in a cage. It wanted to be set free." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The narrator reveals her true negative feelings about the piano her parents gave as a Christmas gift, contrasting her required public reaction with her private emotions.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
- What's being asked? The main purpose of the entire text
- What type of answer do we need? A statement about what the text primarily accomplishes or does
- Any limiting keywords? "main purpose" - we need the central function, not a minor detail
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The passage spends most of its energy revealing the contrast between what the narrator was supposed to feel (happy about the gift) and what she actually felt (hatred)
- So the right answer should focus on how the text establishes or reveals the narrator's feelings about the piano
It explains why the narrator always wanted a piano close to her bedroom.
✗ Incorrect
- Claims the narrator "always wanted" a piano near her bedroom
- This directly contradicts the passage - she hated it from the moment it arrived
It establishes how the narrator feels about the piano.
✓ Correct
- Accurately captures that the text's main job is establishing the narrator's feelings about the piano
- Matches our analysis
It suggests that the narrator's brothers are talented piano players.
✗ Incorrect
- Focuses on the brothers' piano abilities
- The brothers are barely mentioned and their musical skills aren't discussed at all
It describes the event that led the narrator's parents to buy a piano.
✗ Incorrect
- While the passage mentions the purchase from Utah movers, this is just background context
- The main focus is clearly on the narrator's emotional response