Question 118·Easy·Central Ideas and Details
The excerpt below is from a newspaper feature on a community library’s new outreach effort.
The Oakridge Public Library recently purchased a bright blue van and transformed it into a miniature library on wheels. Each weekday afternoon, the van parks in a different neighborhood, its side doors swinging open to reveal shelves of novels, picture books, and graphic novels. Dozens of residents—many of whom say they rarely have time to visit the main building—gather to browse and borrow. Since the program began, library card sign-ups have risen by nearly 40 percent. “Our goal is simple,” explains head librarian Marta Ruiz. “We want to meet readers where they live and make access to books effortless.”
Which choice best expresses the central idea of the passage?
For central idea questions, first read the whole passage, then pause and summarize its main point in one simple sentence without looking at the choices. Next, check which answer best matches your summary and is supported by multiple parts of the text (beginning, middle, and end). Eliminate options that introduce new topics, focus on minor details, or contradict the tone. Avoid being distracted by choices that sound plausible in real life but are not actually stated or implied in the passage.
Hints
Re-read key sentences
Look closely at the first few sentences that introduce the van and the final sentence with the librarian’s quote. Ask yourself: what is this new program trying to do?
Check the overall tone
Decide whether the author’s attitude toward the library van is positive, negative, or neutral. Eliminate any answer choices that don’t match that tone.
Look for what is actually mentioned
Ask: Do we see anything about money, technology, or new programs inside the main building? Cross out choices that bring up topics the passage never discusses.
Think about purpose and result together
One part of the central idea is what the library van does; the other part is what happens because of it. Choose the option that includes both the program’s purpose and its effect on the community.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the task: central idea
The question asks for the central idea of the passage. That means you should look for the overall point or main message of the entire paragraph, not a small detail or something implied but not stated.
Paraphrase the passage in your own words
Mentally restate what happens:
- The library buys a van and turns it into a mobile library.
- The van goes to different neighborhoods each weekday.
- Many residents who rarely visit the main building now come to browse and borrow.
- Library card sign-ups go up by nearly 40%.
- The head librarian says the goal is to meet readers where they live and make access to books effortless. From this, the passage is mainly about what the new van does and what effect it has on the community.
Notice the tone and evidence
The tone is positive: the van is “bright blue,” people “gather to browse and borrow,” and card sign-ups have risen a lot. The quoted goal explains the purpose: to make access to books easy for people in their own neighborhoods. Any correct answer must match this positive description of the program’s purpose and impact.
Match each option to the passage
Now compare each choice with the main idea you identified:
- A talks about the van being too expensive and possibly ending—cost and discontinuation are never mentioned.
- C talks about paper books vs. digital editions—digital books are never mentioned.
- D talks about residents asking for more children’s programs inside the main branch—there is nothing about new programs inside the main building.
- B explains that bringing books into neighborhoods increases access and community involvement with the library, which matches the description of the mobile van, the increased sign-ups, and the librarian’s stated goal.
Therefore, the best answer is: B) By bringing books directly into neighborhoods, the library van expands access and increases community engagement.