GED Reasoning Through Language ArtsReading ComprehensionEasy
A student is reading an excerpt from a science textbook about the process of photosynthesis. The text begins by explaining that plants absorb sunlight, then details how water is taken up by roots, followed by carbon dioxide absorption through leaves, and finally describes how these components are converted into glucose and oxygen. Which text structure is primarily used in this excerpt?
- ASequential / Chronological
- BProblem and Solution
- CDescription
- DCompare and Contrast
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Sequential / Chronological
The text describes a series of actions that happen in a specific order: sunlight absorption, water uptake, carbon dioxide absorption, and then conversion. This step-by-step presentation of a process clearly indicates a sequential or chronological text structure.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. No problem is presented, nor is a solution offered; it's an explanation of a process.
- C. While descriptive, the primary organization is by the order of steps, not just characteristics.
- D. The text does not compare two different processes or concepts.
Text Structure: Sequential / Chronological
A text structure that organizes information in a step-by-step or time-ordered sequence.
- Often used for instructions, historical accounts, or scientific processes.
- Uses transition words like 'first,' 'next,' 'then,' 'finally,' 'before,' 'after.'
- Focuses on the order in which events or steps occur.
Memory trick: PCSD = Problem/Solution, Compare/Contrast, Sequence, Description