Describe the organizational patterns you might see in informational texts and give an example of each.

• A. Cause/effect (reasons and results), problem/solution (issue and proposed fixes), sequence (order of steps), compare/contrast (similarities and differences)
• B. Narrative, drama, poetry, essay
• C. Fiction, nonfiction, biography, autobiography
• D. Letter, email, memo, report

Answer: (A)

A main idea being tested here is how informational texts organize information to help readers understand ideas clearly. The best answer lists four common patterns: cause/effect, where the writer explains why something happens and what results follow; problem/solution, which identifies an issue and then presents possible fixes; sequence, which lays out steps in a specific order; and compare/contrast, which highlights similarities and differences between two or more things. For example, a science article might show how pollution causes health problems (cause/effect); a piece about reducing waste might present the problem and then propose fixes like recycling and composting (problem/solution); a how-to guide or recipe would present steps in the order they should be performed (sequence); and an article comparing solar and wind energy would discuss their similarities and differences (compare/contrast). The other options describe types of writing or formats (genres or document types) rather than the ways information can be organized within a text.