Text Structure and Purpose

SAT Reading and Writing· difficulty 3/5

Why do some neighborhoods retain a strong sense of identity over decades while others lose theirs within a generation? Sociologists studying urban cohesion increasingly answer this question by pointing to the survival of local institutions — corner stores, places of worship, recreation leagues — rather than to any single demographic factor.

Which choice best describes the function of the first sentence in the text?

  • A

    It restates the second sentence.

  • B

    It defines the term 'neighborhood'.

  • C

    It states a conclusion that the text will refute.

  • D

    It introduces a question that the rest of the text addresses.

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Explanation

The opening question motivates the answer that follows. A captures the question-setup function.

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