Question 143·Medium·Central Ideas and Details
The following excerpt is from a 1912 letter written by botanist Mary Whitcombe to her colleague Dr. Felix Harris.
My dear Felix,
I regret to inform you that our planned expedition to Rowan Valley must be deferred until the latter days of April. At present the gorge lies beneath a stubborn blanket of snow, and the Gentiana nivalis we so eagerly wish to observe will remain hidden until the thaw. To press on now would be a costly march to behold nothing but ice-laden stems. In the meantime I shall continue cataloging the greenhouse specimens and preparing fresh slides for your review.
Yours in scientific zeal,
Mary
According to the letter, why does Mary decide to postpone the expedition to Rowan Valley?
For detail questions that ask “According to the passage, why…?”, first locate the exact sentence or two where the event or decision is described. Underline or mentally note the key phrase that states the reason, then restate it in your own simple words. Finally, match that paraphrase to the choice that says the same thing without adding new ideas; quickly eliminate any options that mention concepts (like funding, conferences, or other people) that the passage never brings up.
Hints
Find the key sentence
Reread the part of the letter where Mary first mentions deferring or postponing the expedition. What explanation does she give immediately afterward?
Focus on the description of Rowan Valley
Pay close attention to how Mary describes the current condition of the gorge and what effect that has on their scientific goals.
Eliminate answers not mentioned in the letter
Ask yourself: Does Mary ever talk about money, other researchers, or a conference? Cross out any choice that brings in new information not found in the passage.
Step-by-step Explanation
Locate where the postponement is mentioned
Look for the sentence in the letter that explains why the expedition must be deferred. Mary writes: "I regret to inform you that our planned expedition to Rowan Valley must be deferred until the latter days of April." The explanation should come immediately after this statement.
Identify the stated reason in Mary’s own words
Right after she says the trip must be deferred, Mary explains: "At present the gorge lies beneath a stubborn blanket of snow, and the Gentiana nivalis we so eagerly wish to observe will remain hidden until the thaw." She then adds that going now would be a "costly march to behold nothing but ice-laden stems." This clearly tells you the specific problem that makes the trip now a bad idea.
Match that reason to the answer choice
Mary’s reason is that the valley is covered in snow, so the specific plants (Gentiana nivalis) they want to study are hidden and cannot be properly observed until the snow thaws. The answer choice that directly restates this idea is: “The plants they intend to study cannot be observed until the snow melts.”