SAT OwlQuestion bank / Text Structure and Purpose
Engineers designing earthquake-resistant buildings often borrow ideas from nature. One example comes from bamboo. Its stalks are hollow but divided at intervals by solid walls called nodes, which keep the stalk from buckling when it bends in strong winds. Inspired by this design, some engineers have built tall concrete columns with reinforcing rings spaced along their length, allowing the columns to flex during an earthquake without collapsing.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
To argue that bamboo is a stronger building material than concrete
To explain why earthquakes damage tall buildings more than short ones
To present an example of how a feature of a plant has influenced building design
To describe the process by which bamboo stalks grow nodes
Show answer and explanation
Answer: C
The first sentence says engineers borrow ideas from nature, and the rest of the text gives one example: bamboo's nodes inspired reinforcing rings in concrete columns. Choice C states this purpose.
Choice D focuses on a detail; the text mentions nodes to explain the design idea, not to describe how bamboo grows.
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