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Question

Difficulty: Very hardRhetorical Functions of Sentences and Paragraphs

In their seminal 1979 paper, evolutionary biologists Stephen Jay Gould and Richard Lewontin introduced the architectural concept of 'spandrels' to evolutionary theory. A spandrel—the triangular space formed by the intersection of two arches—is an inevitable byproduct of structural engineering, not a feature designed for a specific purpose. Similarly, Gould and Lewontin argued, many biological traits are not direct products of natural selection adaptive for survival. Rather, they are structural byproducts of other evolutionary changes. While critics initially dismissed this framework as a mere semantic quibble that undermined the primacy of Darwinian adaptation, the concept eventually revolutionized evolutionary biology. By forcing researchers to distinguish between traits that are direct adaptations and those that are merely secondary consequences of other developments, the spandrel framework redirected the field's focus.

The primary rhetorical function of the second sentence ('A spandrel... specific purpose') is to:

  1. A
    demonstrate that biological evolution is constrained by the same physical laws that govern human architecture.
  2. B
    introduce a historical counterargument to the idea that biological adaptations are always designed for a specific survival purpose.
  3. define a structural concept in architecture to serve as an illustrative analogy for the biological theory presented in the passage.Answer
  4. D
    explain how the literal meaning of a term evolved as it transitioned from architectural engineering to evolutionary biology.

Answer

The correct answer is the option that identifies the sentence as defining a structural concept in architecture to serve as an illustrative analogy for the biological theory presented in the passage.
The correct answer accurately identifies that the sentence defines the architectural concept of 'spandrels' to serve as a conceptual analogy for the biological theory described. The author introduces the physical description of a spandrel in architecture and immediately follows it with 'Similarly, Gould and Lewontin argued...', demonstrating that the architectural definition functions to make the biological argument about evolutionary byproducts easier to understand.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Locate the target sentence and identify its literal meaning.
The second sentence defines an architectural spandrel as a physical byproduct formed by intersecting arches, highlighting that it is not intentionally designed.
This establishes what the sentence literally says before analyzing how it functions in the argument.
2
Analyze the structural relationship between the target sentence and the surrounding sentences.
The third sentence begins with the transition 'Similarly,' which directly links the non-designed nature of architectural spandrels to biological traits that are not direct products of natural selection.
This reveals that the architectural definition is being used as a comparative tool to clarify a biological concept.
3
Determine the overall rhetorical purpose of introducing the architectural definition.
The description of the architectural spandrel functions as an analogy, helping the reader understand the abstract biological concept of 'byproducts of evolutionary change' through a concrete engineering example.
This matches the definition of a rhetorical function, which focuses on the structural role a sentence plays in advancing the author's explanation.

Key Concept

Identifying the rhetorical role of a specific sentence by analyzing how it relates to the surrounding text and how it contributes to the author's overarching argument.
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Topics

Rhetorical Functions of Sentences and Paragraphs

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