The following text is from a sociology article on collective memory.
National commemorations reveal as much about present concerns as historical events. Monuments are constructed, redesigned, or removed as social values shift. The Confederate statue debates in the United States exemplify how physical markers of the past become contested sites where contemporary identities are negotiated. Memory, in this view, is not recovered but reconstructed to serve evolving social purposes.
What is the main purpose of the text?
To argue for removing all Confederate statues
To explain how commemoration reflects and shapes social identity
To provide a complete history of American monuments
To compare memorial practices across different countries
Correct Answer: B
Choice B is the best answer. The text explains how commemorations (monuments) reflect present concerns and negotiate contemporary identities.
- Evidence: The text states the thesis: "reveal as much about present concerns as historical events." It gives an example: "Confederate statue debates... exemplify how physical markers... become contested sites." It concludes: "reconstructed to serve evolving social purposes."
- Reasoning: The passage uses the example of statues to explain the social function of memory.
- Conclusion: The purpose is to explain how commemoration reflects/shapes identity.
💡 Strategy: Summarize: Monuments = Mirrors of the Present.
Choice A is incorrect because the text analyzes rather than advocates. Choice C is incorrect because no complete history is provided. Choice D is incorrect because only American examples are used.