Which organizational pattern shows the reason something happens and the result of it happening?

• A. Theme
• B. Process
• C. Author's Purpose
• D. Cause/Effect

Answer: (D)

This question is testing your ability to recognize a cause-and-effect pattern. In this pattern, the writing shows why something happens (the cause) and what happens as a result (the effect). It helps you understand the connection between events by explaining both the reason something occurs and the outcome that follows.

Why this is the best fit: it directly couples a cause with its effect, giving you a clear explanation of both the reason behind an event and the consequence that follows, which is exactly what the question is asking about.

Other patterns don’t fit as well. A theme conveys a recurring message or lesson from the text, not the link between causes and outcomes. A process outlines steps or stages in how to do something, rather than why something occurs and what results from it. A writer’s purpose explains why the author created the text, not the relationships among events within it.