"Alright, good afternoon, class—today, we're going to talk about text structure."
"Umm, excuse me, what is that anyway, like spaces and punctuation marks?"
"Hardly! It's more like the way thoughts are organized."
"Oh, like a problem and a solution."
"Well, actually, yes."
Problem and solution is a text structure,
So when you’re reading pay attention to the signs:
The text will contain two sections.
Yep, that's the way it is designed.
The problem section presents the dilemma,
Like how can I track my miles while I jog?
The solution section presents a way to fix it,
And why that way would be the best one for the job.
See, the problem will always have a solution,
In fact sometimes it'll have more than one.
To get the job done, the text will present
The solution that best solved the problem.
Now, once you spot this text structure,
That'll make it easier to read the text.
It'll help you better understand the passage,
And the ways different ideas connect.
When you’re reading through a text
And you see a problem, then you know what’s next:
A solution! Yep, that’s the structure,
So look for it, and you’ll know what the author is up to.
Problem, solution, it's a text structure!
Now, while you're reading be sure to observe
All the hints and clues, AKA signal words.
"Centuries ago, businesses faced a dilemma.
It was difficult for them to ship goods coast to coast.
They had to sail all they way around South America,
And in time and money it was costing them the most.
So in order to shorten the traveling distance,
The US, UK and France each proposed
Building a Central American canal.
They all failed, but still the case wasn't closed.
See, this led to the US trying again.
They succeeded, and as a result,
Shipping routes were shortened by thousands of miles,
Which made it quicker and cheaper to haul."
So let's examine what we just read,
The problem was the time and the cost,
And the Panama Canal was the solution,
So the value in trade wouldn't be lost.
The signal words "dilemma" and "proposed"
Are hints that a problem arose.
And "led to" and "as a result" signify one of the solutions they chose.
So the next time that you're reading a passage,
Be sure to look for words that suggest
A problem and the solution
That solves the problem the best!
When you’re reading through a text
And you see a problem, then you know what’s next:
A solution! Yep, that’s the structure,
So look for it, and you’ll know what the author is up to.
(2x)
Problem, solution, it's a text structure!