Paragraph Function Practice Test

Read the passage, then answer: Why is the fourth paragraph important in this passage?

222In Lois Lowry’s novel The Giver, Jonas lives in a community that values sameness. People follow strict rules about clothing, jobs, and even family structure. At first, the system seems calm and orderly, with few visible conflicts.

222Jonas is selected to become the Receiver of Memory, a role that involves learning about the past. Through memories, he experiences colors, music, and strong emotions that his community has removed. As a result, he begins to question whether “sameness” is truly fair.

222One interpretation is that Lowry uses memory to show the value of choice. Without memories of pain, people also lose memories of joy, love, and courage. Jonas’s growing awareness suggests that a safe life may still be incomplete if people cannot decide for themselves.

222The novel also raises ethical questions about control. The community’s leaders decide what is “best,” but they keep citizens ignorant of important truths. Therefore, the reader is pushed to consider whether comfort is worth the cost of freedom.

222By ending with uncertainty, Lowry avoids an easy answer. The final pages invite readers to debate what Jonas’s choice means and what a good society should protect.

Read the passage, then answer the question.

 When people talk about the American Revolution, they often focus on battles and famous leaders. Yet everyday decisions, such as buying cloth or drinking tea, also mattered. In the years before the war, colonists debated how to respond to British taxes and trade rules.

 Many colonists organized boycotts to protest these policies. They avoided British goods and tried to make or buy local products instead. <u>In addition</u>, groups sometimes encouraged neighbors to join the boycott, believing that unity would increase pressure on British merchants.

 <u>In summary</u>, these actions had several important outcomes. Boycotts reduced sales of certain British goods and helped colonists practice working together. They also increased tensions, since some colonists disagreed and continued to trade with Britain. Over time, repeated protests made compromise harder and pushed both sides toward open conflict.

 The boycotts were not the only cause of the Revolution, but they show how economic choices can become political statements. They also demonstrate that large historical events often grow from many small actions taken by ordinary people.

How does the third paragraph support the main idea?