Question 132·Hard·Central Ideas and Details
The following text is adapted from marine biologist Maria Sanchez’s 2014 essay "Echoes in the Deep." In this excerpt, Sanchez reflects on her first expedition to record whale songs.
I was prepared to catalog decibels and frequencies, to transform the ocean’s chorus into tidy graphs for later analysis.
Yet as the hydrophone descended, a different obligation announced itself—one not listed in any grant proposal.
The moment the plaintive notes of a blue whale swept through the headphones, the ship’s deck, the very air, seemed to resonate with a vast, deliberate intelligence.
Data sheets suddenly felt insufficient; the columns of numbers I had rehearsed could not house what those sounds contained.
I realized that science would, for months, require me to isolate variables, but for this instant it demanded something more difficult: the humility to admit that the ocean did not fit inside my instruments—my instruments fit inside the ocean.
Which choice best states the main idea that Sanchez conveys in the passage?
For main idea questions, briefly summarize the passage in one sentence by tracking how the author’s perspective changes from the beginning to the end (often signaled by contrast words like "yet" or "but"). Then choose the option that matches that overall shift and is supported by multiple lines, not just a single vivid phrase.
Hints
Identify the shift in the passage
Look for a word that signals a change in Sanchez’s thinking (for example, a contrast word) and pay attention to what comes before and after it.
Focus on her reaction to the whale’s song
Reread the sentences that describe what she feels and thinks when she actually hears the whale. How does that reaction compare to what she had planned to do?
Use the last sentence to clarify the main idea
Think carefully about what Sanchez means when she says the ocean did not fit inside her instruments, but her instruments fit inside the ocean. What does this suggest about the relationship between her tools and what she is studying?
Test each answer against the whole passage
Ask: Does this answer describe the main insight she reaches in the moment, and is it supported by multiple lines? Eliminate choices that shift the focus to a side detail (like technical difficulties or objectivity) rather than her realization about the limits of measurement.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand Sanchez’s initial goal
Look at the first sentence: Sanchez says she was prepared "to catalog decibels and frequencies" and make "tidy graphs for later analysis." This means she expected to do a strictly technical, numerical study of whale sounds, focused on measurable data.
Notice the turning point in her perspective
The second sentence begins with "Yet," signaling a contrast. As the hydrophone goes down, she feels "a different obligation" that wasn’t in the grant proposal. This tells us her perspective is shifting from just collecting numbers to something less strictly scientific and more reflective.
Examine how she reacts to hearing the whale
When the blue whale calls, she describes the air as resonating with "a vast, deliberate intelligence." Right after that, she says "Data sheets suddenly felt insufficient" and "the columns of numbers I had rehearsed could not house what those sounds contained." These lines show she feels that numbers and graphs are not enough to capture what she is experiencing.
Use the final metaphor to state the main idea and match an answer
In the last sentence, Sanchez admits "the ocean did not fit inside my instruments—my instruments fit inside the ocean." This metaphor emphasizes that her tools are limited compared to the vastness and richness of what she’s observing. Therefore, the best answer is: Hearing the whale’s call makes Sanchez question whether quantitative tools alone can capture the full meaning of her observations.