Describe problem/solution structure.

• A. Present a problem and then a solution; if well-known problem may be brief; some focus on solution; some offer multiple solutions; author may favor one.
• B. Present a problem then only a single solution, with no alternatives.
• C. Present a problem and then one or more solutions; the author may favor one.
• D. Present only a list of dates without a solution.

Answer: (C)

Describing problem/solution structure means the writer lays out a dilemma first and then explores ways to address it. The best description lets for one or more possible remedies and acknowledges that the author may prefer one of them. That captures both the idea that there can be several approaches to solving a problem and the reader will see the author’s stance or recommendation.

This fits because so many nonfiction and persuasive passages present a problem, then discuss multiple ways to fix it or improve the situation, sometimes signaling which option the author thinks is strongest. It’s broader than just presenting a single solution, and it’s more realistic than listing dates with no solution at all.

The other descriptions are narrower: insisting on a single solution, or offering only dates with no remedy, don’t reflect the common practice of weighing alternatives and showing a favored path.