Question

(10) What characterizes the contemporary novel? (11) The term contemporary fiction covers a broad spectrum of styles and content; however, three recognizable types dominate the marketplace today: personal narratives, commentaries on contemporary values, and generational sagas. (12) Personal narratives focus on the observations and experiences of an individual character. (13) Though fictional, they often weave real people and events into the plot. (14) Commentaries on contemporary values focus on how an individual, group, or entire community relates and reacts to a social issue of current concern. (15) They tend to be pessimistic in tone and cynically judgmental of contemporary life. (16) Generational sagas focus on the history and progress of an individual family or group of related families through several generations. (17) Unlike commentaries on contemporary values, they tend to be uplifting. (18) Each of these types draws legions of devoted readers, and their popularity shows no signs of waning. (19) A growing number of literary critics have tired of the stranglehold these types have on the fiction market. (20) Like the weary grande dame facing the prospect of yet another arts lecture, charity ball, or gallery opening, they've had enough. (21) To put it another way, allow me to quote Sybil Trent's terse observation in the London Review: "Familiarity breeds boredom." (22) Considering the current state of the contemporary fiction market, it is no wonder that Events of a Day made such a splash.Parallel structure is achieved in paragraph 2 Question 7Select one: a. by including a direct quotation in sentence 22. b. by describing three types of contemporary novels. c. by the combining of two independent clauses in sentence 19. d. by the repetition of the phrase focus on in sentences 12, 14, and 16.

Answer 1

The parallel structure in paragraph 2 is exemplified by the repetition of the phrase "focus on" in sentences 12, 14, and 16.

How to explain

This linguistic pattern maintains consistency by structuring the sentences similarly, emphasizing the distinct types of contemporary novels. The repetition of "focus on" introduces each type – personal narratives, commentaries on contemporary values, and generational sagas – aligning them in the same grammatical format.

This technique aids clarity, allowing readers to comprehend and distinguish between the different categories of contemporary fiction effectively. Thus, the parallel structure through repetitive phrasing enhances coherence and comprehension within the paragraph, elucidating the varied genres dominating the contemporary fiction landscape.