Digital SAT Reading and Writing Practice Question #622

In 1856, chemist William Henry Perkin inadvertently synthesized mauveine, the first synthetic organic dye, while attempting to create a cure for malaria. Though his initial objective was purely medicinal, Perkin’s failure yielded an immense industrial dividend. The vivid, colorfast purple hue of mauveine captured the attention of the Victorian fashion industry, which until then had relied on expensive, unstable natural dyes. Consequently, Perkin shifted his focus from pharmacology to industrial chemistry, establishing a massive dye-works factory that catalyzed the modern synthetic chemical industry. Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?