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Difficulty: MediumDetermining Writer Intent and Attitude

Read the following letter:

Dear Director Mendoza,

I am writing on behalf of the San Pedro Neighborhood Association regarding the municipal council’s recent proposal to convert the Calle Mayor pedestrian avenue into a multi-lane parking facility. While we fully appreciate the city's efforts to address the commercial district's traffic congestion, we are deeply concerned that this project will undermine the local community's social cohesion and safety. Over the past decade, Calle Mayor has served as a vital gathering space for families and local artisans. We urge the council to suspend the current plan and invite representatives from our association to a collaborative workshop to explore alternative traffic-easing measures that do not sacrifice our public spaces. We look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,
Valeria Gómez
President, San Pedro Neighborhood Association

Based on the letter, which of the following best describes the writer's primary purpose in contacting the director of urban planning?

  1. A
    To express total opposition to any municipal initiatives aimed at resolving traffic congestion
  2. B
    To demand that the director personally attend the neighborhood association's next meeting
  3. To request a suspension of the parking project in order to collaborate on alternative traffic solutionsAnswer
  4. D
    To formally complain about the neighborhood association's permanent exclusion from the council

Answer

To request a suspension of the parking project in order to collaborate on alternative traffic solutions
The correct answer is correct because the writer explicitly urges the council to suspend the plan ('suspend the current plan') and invites them to work together ('explore alternative traffic-easing measures' in a 'collaborative workshop').

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary topic of the letter.
The letter discusses the municipal council's proposal to turn Calle Mayor pedestrian avenue into a parking facility.
Establishing the topic sets the context for analyzing the writer's actions and goals.
2
Analyze the writer's specific requests and tone.
The writer respects the city's traffic-reduction goals but opposes the Calle Mayor proposal, explicitly asking to 'suspend the current plan' and hold a 'collaborative workshop'.
This helps isolate the actual demands of the writer from boilerplate polite language or general complaints.
3
Synthesize the findings to determine the primary intent.
The primary purpose is to halt the current project and collaborate on alternatives.
Combining the request to suspend with the offer to collaborate yields the correct option.

Key Concept

Determining Writer Intent and Attitude
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Determining Writer Intent and Attitude

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