SAT OwlQuestion bank / Text Structure and Purpose
Women played a central role in the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955-1956. The Women's Political Council, led by Jo Ann Robinson, had been planning a boycott for months before Rosa Parks's arrest. Within hours of the arrest, Robinson and her colleagues copied tens of thousands of leaflets announcing the boycott and distributed them across the city. Their preparation helped make it possible for the protest to begin just days later.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
To argue that the Women's Political Council planned Rosa Parks's arrest
To highlight the role that a group of women played in organizing the Montgomery bus boycott
To explain why the boycott lasted for more than a year
To describe Jo Ann Robinson's career as a teacher
Show answer and explanation
Answer: B
The first sentence states the point, and the rest of the text supports it with the Women's Political Council's months of planning and quick distribution of leaflets. The purpose is to highlight these women's organizing role, choice B.
Choice A misreads the text; the council planned a boycott, not the arrest, and it acted quickly after the arrest occurred.
Got it wrong? On SAT Owl, Owl looks at the answer you chose and explains the exact mistake, then gives you similar questions until it sticks. Get your predicted SAT score free.