The following question has two parts. First, answer part A. Then, answer part B.
Part A:
Read the following paragraph from the text.
...Many of the trivial daily happenings of life are so subtle and so deceiving in their significance that very frequently we do not catch their meaning until long after they have occurred. Then, too late alas! We find that these petty affairs, so infinitesimal by themselves, have by accumulation assumed a most important influence in our lives.
Which of the following best identifies the key concept explained in this paragraph of the text?
A
Daily life takes over our thoughts if we fail to focus on the bigger picture.
B
If we do not pay attention to the decisions we make in everyday life, we will be too late and make poor life decisions.
C
We often do not understand the importance of small things that happen in daily life until they add up to have an impact on us.
D
We do not appreciate the things that happen in our daily lives because we are too busy thinking about the future as well as the past.
Part B:
How did the author structure the text so that the key concept from part A was clearly developed?
A
The author waited until the last sentence to reveal the key concept.
B
The author added the key concept in an exclamatory sentence in the middle of the paragraph.
C
The author developed part of the key concept in the first sentence and further elaborated on it in the last sentence.
D
The author never fully stated the key concept but instead relied on the reader's outside knowledge of the subject to make it clear.
Part A: The best answer is C. The key concept explained in this paragraph is that we often do not understand the importance of small things that happen in daily life until they add up to have an impact on us.
Part B: The best answer is C. The author developed part of the key concept in the first sentence by mentioning that the trivial daily happenings of life are subtle and deceiving in their significance. The author further elaborated on it in the last sentence by stating that these petty affairs, by accumulation, have assumed a most important influence in our lives.