SAT Reading and Writing · Topic 2.2
Text Structure and Purpose Practice
Part of Craft and Structure.
Practice questions
150
Sample questions
5 of 150 — sign in to practice the rest with adaptive difficulty and mastery tracking.
Sample 1difficulty 2/5
The mantis shrimp possesses one of the most complex visual systems in the animal kingdom. While humans have three types of color receptors, the mantis shrimp has sixteen. Researchers initially assumed this meant the shrimp could perceive an extraordinary range of colors. Surprisingly, behavioral tests later showed that mantis shrimp actually discriminate colors less precisely than humans do.
Which choice best describes the function of the last sentence in the text?
- A
It introduces an unrelated species for comparison.
- Bcheck_circle
It complicates the expectation set up by the previous sentence.
- C
It provides a definition of color perception.
- D
It confirms the researchers' initial assumption about the mantis shrimp's vision.
Why
The final sentence reverses the expectation that more receptors means better color discrimination. B captures this complication. A is the opposite of what happens; C and D misread the sentence.
- A
Sample 2difficulty 2/5
A monarch butterfly's life cycle has four stages. It begins as an egg laid on a milkweed leaf. After a few days, the egg hatches into a caterpillar that feeds and grows. The caterpillar eventually forms a chrysalis, inside which it metamorphoses into the adult butterfly.
Which choice best describes the structure of the text?
- A
It presents a problem and a solution.
- B
It defines a term and gives a counterexample.
- Ccheck_circle
It describes a sequence of stages in chronological order.
- D
It compares two species of butterflies.
Why
The text walks through egg → caterpillar → chrysalis → butterfly in order. B captures the sequential structure.
- A
Sample 3difficulty 2/5
Many large cities suffer from severe air pollution caused by vehicle emissions. To address this, several European capitals have established "low-emission zones" — designated areas where only vehicles meeting strict pollution standards are allowed to enter. Air quality measurements taken after these zones were introduced have shown noticeable improvements.
Which choice best describes the structure of the text?
- A
It compares two cities' approaches to traffic management.
- B
It defines a term and provides three counterexamples.
- Ccheck_circle
It identifies a problem, describes an intervention, and reports its outcome.
- D
It traces the historical development of urban planning.
Why
Pollution problem → low-emission zone solution → measurable result. B captures this three-part structure.
- A
Sample 4difficulty 2/5
When a star many times more massive than our Sun runs out of fuel, its core collapses under its own gravity. This collapse triggers a violent explosion known as a supernova, which can briefly outshine an entire galaxy. The explosion scatters heavy elements across space, where they eventually form new stars and planets.
Which choice best describes the structure of the text?
- Acheck_circle
It describes a chain of cause-and-effect events.
- B
It defines a term and gives a counterexample.
- C
It presents a problem and a proposed solution.
- D
It compares two types of stellar explosions.
Why
The text traces a causal chain: fuel runs out → core collapses → supernova → element dispersal → new stars. B is correct.
- A
Sample 5difficulty 2/5
A keystone species is one whose impact on its ecosystem is far greater than its abundance would suggest. Sea otters, for example, are not especially numerous along the Pacific coast, but by preying on sea urchins they prevent the urchins from devouring kelp forests. Without sea otters, kelp ecosystems quickly collapse.
Which choice best describes the structure of the text?
- A
It refutes a popular claim about sea otters.
- B
It traces the chronological history of marine biology.
- C
It compares two competing ecological theories.
- Dcheck_circle
It defines a concept and supports it with a specific example.
Why
The text defines "keystone species" and exemplifies with sea otters. A captures the definition-and-example structure.
- A