Question 106·Easy·Central Ideas and Details
Read the passage.
Mia pushed aside the stack of library books until she found the small notebook hidden at the bottom. She checked the clock—only fifteen minutes remained before the librarian turned off the lights for closing. If she hurried, she could copy the poem she needed for tomorrow’s presentation. Mia flipped through the notebook’s pages quickly, relieved when she spotted the familiar title.
According to the passage, why does Mia search for her notebook with urgency?
For questions about why a character does something, first underline the specific action in the question (here, Mia searching with urgency). Then reread the 1–2 sentences around that action in the passage, especially any parts that mention time, goals, or needs. Look for explicit wording that states the reason, and choose the option that repeats or closely matches those words. Quickly eliminate any choices that introduce new ideas or events not mentioned in the passage, since SAT detail questions are almost always based on clear, direct evidence.
Hints
Locate the time pressure
Reread the part of the passage where Mia checks the clock and sees that only fifteen minutes remain. That is where the passage explains why she needs to hurry.
Read the full sentence after the clock
After the phrase about only fifteen minutes left, notice what the sentence says Mia could do if she hurried. That clause explains the purpose of her urgent search.
Match the purpose, not guesses
Ask yourself: What specific task does the passage say she needs to complete before the library closes? Choose the option that directly matches that task, and eliminate choices that add new details not mentioned in the passage.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the question is asking
The question asks: “According to the passage, why does Mia search for her notebook with urgency?” That means you are looking for the specific reason, stated in the passage, that explains why she is in a hurry.
Find where her urgency is described
Look back at the lines that mention time pressure: “She checked the clock—only fifteen minutes remained before the librarian turned off the lights for closing. If she hurried…” The next part of that same sentence explains what she is trying to do before the library closes. That explanation is the key to answering the question.
Identify the stated reason and match it to an option
Right after the mention of only fifteen minutes left, the passage says that if Mia hurried, she could copy the poem she needed for the next day’s presentation. This directly explains why she is urgently searching for the notebook. Among the choices, only C) She wants to copy a poem for a presentation she has the next day. matches this exact reason from the passage, so C is correct.