The following text discusses renewable energy.
Solar panel technology has improved dramatically over the past decade. Early panels converted only about 10% of sunlight into electricity. Today's advanced panels can achieve efficiency rates above 22%. Meanwhile, manufacturing costs have dropped by over 80%, making solar power increasingly competitive with fossil fuels.
Which choice best describes the function of the third sentence in the text?
It provides a contrast to the information in the previous sentence.
It offers evidence that supports the claim in the first sentence.
It introduces a completely new topic for discussion.
It summarizes the main points made throughout the passage.
Correct Answer: B
Choice B is the best answer. The third sentence shows today's 22% efficiency rate, which directly supports the first sentence's claim that technology has "improved dramatically."
- Evidence: Sentence 1 claims "improved dramatically." Sentence 3 cites "efficiency rates above 22%" (compared to 10% in sentence 2).
- Reasoning: The statistic serves as concrete proof of the improvement.
- Conclusion: Its function is to offer supporting evidence.
💡 Strategy: Analyze how the specific detail in the target sentence relates to the general claim at the beginning.
Choice A is incorrect because it continues the same point (improvement), not contrasts. Choice C is incorrect because efficiency is the same topic. Choice D is incorrect because it's a specific detail, not a summary.