An SAT Reading & Writing micro-topic under Cross texts connections (Craft and Structure). Free to read — no account needed.
With paired texts, your job is to see whether Text 2 backs up Text 1 or pushes against it. Supporting means Text 2 agrees, adds evidence, or extends the idea. Challenging means Text 2 disagrees or gives a different explanation.
To find the relationship, sum up the main point of each text in your own words. Then ask whether Text 2 points the same way as Text 1 or the opposite way. Same direction means support; opposite direction means contrast.
Text 1: A teacher noticed that students who read aloud at home learned new words quickly. She believes reading aloud builds a child's vocabulary. Text 2: In a study of 200 children, those who were regularly read to knew far more words than those who were not. Here Text 2 supports Text 1, because its evidence points the same way.
Text 1: Researchers claim a strange humming sound near the town comes from a nearby factory. They point to the factory's large machines as the cause. Text 2: Other scientists note that the same humming appears on weekends, when the factory is closed, and suggest strong winds may cause it. Here Text 2 challenges Text 1, because it offers a different explanation for the same sound.
Worked examples
Text 1: The town's summer festival draws large crowds every year. Local shop owners say it is one of their busiest weeks. Text 2: A survey found that shops near the festival earn about twice as much during festival week as in a normal week. How does Text 2 relate to Text 1? Text 2 supports Text 1, because it adds evidence for the same point about the festival helping shops.
Text 1: A hiker found large footprints in the forest and concluded that a rare bear must live there. She argued the prints were too big for any common animal. Text 2: A wildlife expert explained that soft mud can spread out a footprint, making an ordinary deer's track look much larger. How does Text 2 relate to Text 1? Text 2 challenges Text 1, because it offers a different explanation for the large prints.
Text 1: A company introduced a new diet plan and reported that employees felt more energetic. It presented the plan as a clear success. Text 2: A follow-up study confirmed the energy boost but also found that a few people got headaches in the first week. Overall, does Text 2 support or challenge Text 1? Text 2 broadly supports Text 1 about the energy boost, while adding a caution — its main evidence still agrees that energy improved.
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