The term "pit bull" does not designate a breed of dog, as do the terms "German shepherd" and "poodle." It is like the...

Katherine April 11, 2019

Hello @iranney,

Happy to help.

The passage makes a distinction between types of dog breeds (“German shepherd” and “poodle”) and terms that describe what a dog does (“Seeing Eye dog” and “police dog”). The passage says that that the term “pit bull” does not designate a breed and instead describes what it does.

The question asks you to identify the main point of the passage.

You say you are having some trouble deciding between Answer A and Answer C. Let’s take a look at Answer A first. Answer A says German shepherds can be pit bulls. Following the logic of the passage, this is true. But is it the main point of the passage? No. Instead it is another conclusion that could be drawn from the logic of the passage. The German shepherd example was used to explain the distinction between dog breeds and terms that describe what a dog does. It is not the main point. Always remember to keep the exact question in mind when deciding between answers.

Now let’s look at Answer C. Answer C says a dog is a pit bull because of what is does, not because of its breed. That is the main point of the passage. Each sentence supports this point. First, the distinction between dog breeds and terms that describe what a dog does. Then, the example that a German shepherd that could be either a police dog or a Seeing Eye dog. Because this answer expresses the main point of the passage, it is the correct choice.

I hope this is helpful. Please reach out with other questions.