Question Bank / Reading and Writing / Text Structure and Purpose

Text Structure and Purpose SAT question

Reading and Writing · Craft and Structure · Medium · Answer it here, explanation included.

The following text is from Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s 1910 poem “The Earth’s Entail.”

No matter how we cultivate the land,

Taming the forest and the prairie free;

No matter how we irrigate the sand,

Making the desert blossom at command,

 We must always leave the borders of the sea;

 The immeasureable reaches

 Of the windy wave-wet beaches,

The million-mile-long margin of the sea.

Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?

ExplanationShow

Choice D is the best answer. This best describes the overall structure of the text. In the first half of the text, the speaker describes our attempts to control nature: cultivating, taming, and irrigating different kinds of land. In the second half, the speaker states that we can never tame the sea or the beach. 

Choice A is incorrect. This doesn’t describe the overall structure of the text. The speaker never argues that we should not interfere with nature. Rather, the speaker says that we are able to tame many different kinds of land, but we are unable to tame the sea or beaches. Choice B is incorrect. This doesn’t describe the overall structure of the text. The speaker never describes our cultivation, taming, and irrigation of land as “temporary.” Rather, the speaker says that we are able to tame many different kinds of land, but we are unable to tame the sea or beaches. Choice C is incorrect. This doesn’t describe the overall structure of the text. The speaker never describes our cultivation, taming, and irrigation of land as an “admirable” approach to nature.” Rather, the speaker says that we are able to tame many different kinds of land, but we are unable to tame the sea or beaches. 

Drill this skill on Aceit

Adaptive practice, a daily plan, and score tracking take a free account so we can save your work.

Practice this skill

More Text Structure and Purpose questions