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Summary Writing: Question 1

Syllabus R1, R2, R5

Multiple choice 1 mark

The Bellhaven Museum has stood on the corner of Foss Street for over a century, its grand stone entrance a familiar landmark to residents of the town. For most of that time, the museum has closed its doors promptly at five o'clock, in line with the hours kept by most local shops and offices. Recently, however, the museum's trustees have begun discussing whether this should change.

Visitor data collected over the past two years shows a clear pattern: numbers fall away sharply after four in the afternoon, yet online searches for "evening museum visits" from people living within the town have risen by almost a third over the same period. The marketing officer believes many working residents simply cannot get to the museum before it shuts, since their jobs do not finish until half past five or six.

A nearby university has also approached the museum about running late-evening lectures in its main hall, which would only be possible if the building stayed open past its usual closing time. Meanwhile, three neighbouring towns have already introduced late Saturday opening at their own museums and report that overall visitor numbers, not just evening numbers, have increased as a result.

Not every trustee is convinced. Extending opening hours would mean higher staffing and heating costs, and the head of security has pointed out that the museum's Victorian skylights let in very little natural light after six o'clock, meaning extra lighting costs too. A decision is expected once a small trial period, planned for next spring, has been assessed.

Which of these sentences would be the most appropriate content point to include in a summary of the reasons in favour of the museum staying open later in the evenings?

Choose an answer to check it, then compare with the worked solution below.
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Worked solution

Step 1: Fix the focus of the summary

The question asks specifically for a reason in favour of the museum staying open later in the evenings. Before judging any sentence, it helps to ask: does this sentence give evidence that supports opening later in the evening, or does it do something else (describe, oppose, or explain a process)?

Step 2: Test each option against that focus

  • A: States that evening demand appears to be rising (more searches for evening visits) while afternoon demand is falling. This is direct evidence that supports the case for opening later in the evening. It is a genuine reason in favour.
  • B: Describes the building’s entrance and its age. This is background description, not a reason for changing the hours.
  • C: Gives a cost concern from the head of security. This is a reason against extending the hours, not in favour of it. An easy point to miss if a student only checks “is this about the hours?” rather than “does this support the stated focus?”
  • D: Describes when a decision will be made. This is about the review timetable, not a reason for the change itself.

Step 3: Select the content point

Only option A is genuine supporting evidence for the stated focus.

Final answer

  • Option A is the correct content point for a summary of reasons in favour of the museum staying open later in the evenings.