The existence of West Berlin, a conspicuously capitalist city deep within communist East Germany, "stuck like a bone in the Soviet throat," as Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev put it. The Russians began maneuvering to drive the United States, Britain and France out of the city for good. In 1948, a Soviet blockade of West Berlin aimed to starve the western Allies out of the city. Instead of retreating, however, the United States and its allies supplied their sectors of the city from the air. This effort, known as the Berlin Airlift, lasted for more than a year and delivered more than 2.3 million tons of food, fuel and other goods to West Berlin. The Soviets called off the blockade in 1949. After a decade of relative calm, tensions flared again in 1958. For the next three years, the Soviets emboldened by the successful launch of the Sputnik satellite the year before and embarrassed by the seemingly endless flow of refugees from east to west (nearly 3 million in the decade since the end of the blockade, many of them young skilled workers such as doctors, teachers and engineers) blustered and made threats, while the Allies resisted. Summits, conferences and other negotiations came and went without resolution. Meanwhile, the flood of refugees continued. In June 1961, some 19,000 people left the GDR through Berlin. The following month, 30,000 fled. In the first 11 days of August, 16,000 East Germans crossed the border into West Berlin, and on August 12 some 2,400 followed the largest number of defectors ever to leave East Germany in a single day.

What is the primary purpose of the passage?

A. Trace the existence of West Berlin within Soviet Germany
B. Explain the significance of the Berlin Airlift in the middle of the 20th century
C. Examine the success of the Soviets in launching the Sputnik satellite and its impact on its relationship with the West
D. Describe the measures used by the Soviets and their failures to protect West Berlin from western influences
E. Evaluate how many defectors left East Germany through a decade
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Official Solution:

The existence of West Berlin, a conspicuously capitalist city deep within communist East Germany, "stuck like a bone in the Soviet throat," as Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev put it. The Russians began maneuvering to drive the United States, Britain and France out of the city for good. In 1948, a Soviet blockade of West Berlin aimed to starve the western Allies out of the city. Instead of retreating, however, the United States and its allies supplied their sectors of the city from the air. This effort, known as the Berlin Airlift, lasted for more than a year and delivered more than 2.3 million tons of food, fuel and other goods to West Berlin. The Soviets called off the blockade in 1949. After a decade of relative calm, tensions flared again in 1958. For the next three years, the Soviets emboldened by the successful launch of the Sputnik satellite the year before and embarrassed by the seemingly endless flow of refugees from east to west (nearly 3 million in the decade since the end of the blockade, many of them young skilled workers such as doctors, teachers and engineers) blustered and made threats, while the Allies resisted. Summits, conferences and other negotiations came and went without resolution. Meanwhile, the flood of refugees continued. In June 1961, some 19,000 people left the GDR through Berlin. The following month, 30,000 fled. In the first 11 days of August, 16,000 East Germans crossed the border into West Berlin, and on August 12 some 2,400 followed the largest number of defectors ever to leave East Germany in a single day.

What is the primary purpose of the passage?

A. Trace the existence of West Berlin within Soviet Germany
B. Explain the significance of the Berlin Airlift in the middle of the 20th century
C. Examine the success of the Soviets in launching the Sputnik satellite and its impact on its relationship with the West
D. Describe the measures used by the Soviets and their failures to protect West Berlin from western influences
E. Evaluate how many defectors left East Germany through a decade

The main idea of the passage is to explain the attempts of the Soviets to keep defectors from leaving the East. The passage also elaborates the outcomes of their plan. Option D correctly identifies the primary purpose.

Answer: D
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I cannot agree that (D) can be the right answer. It might need some revision in order to be deemed a plausible choice.

Indeed, "the main idea of the passage is to explain the attempts of the Soviets to keep defectors from leaving the East." But that does not equates to "Describe the measures used by the Soviets and their failures to protect West Berlin from western influences." I am especially troubled by the assertion that the Soviets have any intention to protect West Berlin from western influences. Did you mean to say "Eastern Berlin" instead? Western Berlin have been under western influences / protections all along.

I also chose the option A on the basis of the first sentence. However, the entire passage is focused on driving the western allies out of West Germany either through blockades, starving their western allies, threats, summits, conferences and other negotiations.
The word influences is confusing but D seems better option than the others.