The following text is adapted from George Bernard Shaw's 1912 play Pygmalion. Henry Higgins has just arrived at the house...
GMAT Craft and Structure : (Structure) Questions
The following text is adapted from George Bernard Shaw's 1912 play Pygmalion. Henry Higgins has just arrived at the house of his mother (Mrs. Higgins). She is expecting her friends to visit soon.
MRS. HIGGINS: I'm serious, Henry. You offend all my friends: they stop coming whenever they meet you.
HIGGINS: Nonsense! I know I have no small talk; but people don't mind.
MRS. HIGGINS: Oh! don't they? Small talk indeed! What about your large talk? Really, dear, you mustn't stay.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
To describe what Henry's mother does when she goes out with her friends
To show that Henry's mother wants him to leave
To present a detailed account of what Henry's home looks like
To explain why Henry often visits his mother
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "MRS. HIGGINS: I'm serious, Henry. You offend all my friends: they stop coming whenever they meet you." |
|
| "HIGGINS: Nonsense! I know I have no small talk; but people don't mind." |
|
| "MRS. HIGGINS: Oh! don't they? Small talk indeed! What about your large talk? Really, dear, you mustn't stay." |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Mrs. Higgins wants Henry to leave because he offends her friends.
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 central function or goal of this dialogue.
Any limiting keywords? Main purpose - we need the primary function, not secondary details.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The dialogue centers on Mrs. Higgins telling Henry that his behavior offends her friends and culminates with her directly telling him you mustn't stay.
- The correct answer must focus on Mrs. Higgins's desire for Henry to leave as the central action/purpose of the exchange.
To describe what Henry's mother does when she goes out with her friends
- This suggests the text describes Mrs. Higgins's activities with friends.
- The passage doesn't describe what she does when out - it's about Henry's impact on her friends visiting.
To show that Henry's mother wants him to leave
- This directly matches the culmination of the dialogue: you mustn't stay.
- Mrs. Higgins moves from complaint to direct command for Henry to leave.
- This captures the main action and purpose of the entire exchange.
To present a detailed account of what Henry's home looks like
- No physical description of Henry's home is provided.
- The passage is dialogue about behavior, not setting description.
To explain why Henry often visits his mother
- The text doesn't explain Henry's visiting patterns or motivations.
- The focus is on Mrs. Higgins wanting him to leave this particular time.