Question

he following is an excerpt from Timothy P. Fong’s The Contemporary Asian American Experience: Cambodian Americans have been so successful at capturing the doughnut market, many are expanding into new ventures. This time it is bagels. Although bagel sales are dominated by several major chain stores, there are good reasons to make the transition. First, it is always good to diversify the products you sell. The average family-run doughnut shop can gross about $200,000, but after expenses it only ends up with a $48,000 profit. Any effort to increase the profit margins of these small businesses is welcomed by Cambodian Americans. Second, making bagels is much less labor intensive than making doughnuts because bagel dough is premade and bagels don’t require extensive decorating. Third, bagels are also good for customers because they can be frozen and stored for a long time, whereas doughnuts only last about a day. Fourth, the shift from doughnuts to bagels has already been very successful for some Cambodian Americans. Sam Tan owns four doughnut stores around San Jose, California, but he also owns six bagel stores. “Bagels are my future,” he said with pride. “My entire family is switching to the bagel business. What is the main purpose of this paragraph?

Answer 1

The paragraph's purpose is to showcase Cambodian Americans' shift to the bagel industry due to its advantages over the doughnut market, including potential for increased profits and easier production.

Step-by-step explanation:

The main purpose of the paragraph from Timothy P. Fong’s The Contemporary Asian American Experience is to illustrate the entrepreneurial shift of Cambodian Americans from the doughnut market to the bagel business and to highlight the rationale behind this transition. Fong outlines several reasons for the move: product diversification, the less labor-intensive nature of bagel production, the longer shelf life of bagels, and the success stories of those like Sam Tan, indicating potential for higher profits and a prosperous future.

The main purpose of this paragraph is to explain the reasons why Cambodian Americans are expanding into the bagel business after being successful in the doughnut market. The paragraph highlights several advantages of making the transition from doughnuts to bagels. First, diversifying the products sold can increase profit margins for small businesses. Second, making bagels is less labor-intensive than making doughnuts. Third, bagels have a longer shelf life as they can be frozen and stored for a long time. Fourth, the shift from doughnuts to bagels has already been successful for some individuals.