Central Ideas and Details: Practice Questions

In many ecosystems, honeybees (Apis mellifera) perform a behavior known as the "waggle dance." By moving in specific patterns, a scout bee informs other members of the hive about the direction and distance to a rich nectar source. This sophisticated form of communication allows the colony to efficiently harvest resources without every bee having to search the landscape individually.

Which choice best states the central idea of the text?

In her 1964 study of urban social structures, sociologist Jane Jacobs argues that the 'ballet of the good city sidewalk' is never a repetitive performance but rather a complex, organic orchestration of individual movements. She posits that safety in city streets is not primarily maintained by the police, but by an intricate, almost unconscious, network of voluntary controls and standards among the people themselves, which she terms 'eyes on the street.' This informal surveillance is most effective in neighborhoods with a high diversity of uses—shops, residences, and parks—that ensure people are present at all times of the day.

Which choice best describes the central idea of the text?

The invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg is often celebrated for democratizing knowledge, but historians also note its role in the standardization of European languages. Before the press, regional dialects were fluid and varied widely even over short distances. However, because printers sought to maximize their market, they often chose to publish in the most widely understood or "prestige" dialect of a region. Over time, these printed versions became the official national standard, effectively marginalizing or erasing hundreds of minority tongues and regional variations.

Which choice best summarizes the central idea of the text?

In many ecosystems, the presence of "keystone species" is vital for maintaining biodiversity. A classic example is the sea otter in the North Pacific. By preying on sea urchins, which consume kelp, sea otters prevent the urchins from overgrazing and destroying kelp forest habitats. When sea otters are removed from these environments, the urchin population explodes, leading to "urchin barrens" where many other species can no longer survive. Thus, the presence of a single species can dictate the health of an entire ecological community.

Which choice best states the central idea of the text?

The following text is adapted from a literary analysis of 19th-century architecture. "The shift from Gothic Revival to the more functionalist approach of the early modern era was not merely an aesthetic choice. It represented a fundamental change in how society viewed the purpose of a building—from a monument of historical identity to a machine for living, where utility dictated form."

Which choice best summarizes the central idea of the text?

The Gila monster, a venomous lizard native to the southwestern United States, spends about 90 percent of its life underground in burrows. This behavior is primarily an adaptation to the extreme desert heat and a way to conserve moisture. Because they are active only for short periods during the spring, they rely on fat stored in their tails to survive long periods of dormancy.

According to the text, what is the primary reason the Gila monster remains in underground burrows for most of its life?

Biologists studying hydrothermal vents have discovered that these deep-sea ecosystems do not rely on sunlight for energy. Instead, they are powered by chemosynthesis, a process where bacteria convert chemicals from the vents into organic matter. This discovery challenged the long-held belief that all life on Earth is ultimately dependent on solar energy. Consequently, researchers are now looking at hydrothermal vents as potential models for how life might exist on moons like Europa or Enceladus.

Which choice best describes the central idea of the text?

In the novel The Overstory, Richard Powers explores the concept of "plant intelligence," suggesting that trees communicate and cooperate in ways that mirror human social structures. However, critic Elena Varma argues that Powers's anthropomorphism risks obscures the "radical otherness" of plant life. To Varma, by forcing trees into a human narrative framework, the author may be inadvertently reinforcing the human-centric worldview he intends to challenge.

Which choice best summarizes the central idea of Varma's critique of the novel?

The following passage discusses the historical development of the electric lightbulb.

For many years, the invention of the electric lightbulb was attributed solely to Thomas Edison in 1879. However, historical records indicate that many inventors had been working on similar technology for decades. For example, in 1802, Humphry Davy created the first electric light by passing a current through a platinum strip. Later, in 1840, Warren de la Rue developed an efficient bulb using a coiled platinum filament. Edison's true contribution was not the primary invention itself, but rather the development of a long-lasting, commercially viable filament and a complete electrical distribution system that made the lightbulb practical for mass use.

Part A: Which choice best states the central idea of the text?
Part B: Based on the text, what specific detail regarding the work of Humphry Davy and Warren de la Rue supports the claim that Edison was not the first to create electric light?

In his 1952 study, ecologist H.G. Andrewartha argued that the population density of certain desert-dwelling insects is primarily determined by stochastic weather events rather than by intrinsic biological factors like competition for food. He noted that intense heat waves could decimate a population regardless of its initial size. However, modern researchers have observed that in years with moderate rainfall, these same insect populations exhibit density-dependent growth patterns, where limited nesting sites eventually constrain further expansion.

Which choice best describes the central idea of the text?