Question:

The anecdote of the restaurant owner in the passage most likely serves to:

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In boldface questions, first identify the main conclusion of the argument. Then, determine the relationship of each boldfaced statement to that conclusion. Is it evidence for the conclusion? Is it the conclusion itself? Is it an opposing viewpoint? Is it a consideration that the author must address?
Updated On: Sep 30, 2025
  • illustrate how societal pressures have transformed customer expectations and behaviour.
  • highlight a unique trend in the hospitality sector that reflects broader social dynamics.
  • function as evidence that community spaces are no longer regulated by cultural standards.
  • reveal that consumer-facing roles are the first victims of the rise in hatred and despair among the populace.
  • exemplify the growing disconnect between consumer behaviour and institutional norms of conduct.
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept
This is a "Function of a Detail" question. We need to determine why the author included the specific story of a restaurant owner. Anecdotes are typically used to make an abstract point more concrete and relatable for the reader.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation
The overall theme is a societal crisis involving despair and rudeness (a breakdown of social norms). A restaurant is a classic "community space" where social norms and cultural standards of behavior are expected to apply. An anecdote about a restaurant owner would likely involve a story of customers behaving badly in ways that would have been unacceptable in the past.

(A), (B), and (D) are plausible but less central. The issue is likely not specific to hospitality (B) or just about customer expectations (A), but about a more fundamental breakdown. (D) is overly dramatic.
(E) is close, but "institutional norms" is a bit formal. "Cultural standards" is a better fit for the informal rules that govern public behavior.
(C) gets to the heart of the matter. The anecdote would serve as a concrete example (evidence) of the author's broader point that the unwritten rules and shared "cultural standards" that once governed behavior in public ("community spaces") are eroding.
Step 3: Final Answer
Option (C) best describes the likely rhetorical purpose of such an anecdote within the context of the inferred argument about declining social norms.
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