Question 152·Medium·Central Ideas and Details
The following text is from a contemporary essay in which a marine biologist recalls her first solo study of a remote tidal pool.
The pool lay in a hollow of black volcanic rock, no wider than a dinner table, yet the moment I leaned over its glassy surface the ocean seemed to compress its entire energy inside that basin. Anemones unfurled like slow fireworks, tiny shrimp flickered between shadows, and a sand-colored crab raised one cautious claw as though testing the weight of the sky. Minutes dissolved into hours while I traced each ripple and recorded every flicker of movement. The regular boom of distant waves marked time, but inside the pool a quieter clock ticked—one measured in the opening of barnacle plates and the shy retreat of blennies. By dusk my notebook was filled, but I had the sense that the pool’s real record was written in currents and moonlight, accessible only to those patient enough to watch without expectation.
Which choice best describes the central idea of the text?
For central idea questions, first read the full passage focusing on overall tone and what the author describes most, rather than getting stuck on individual phrases. Then, summarize in your own words what the passage is mainly doing (for example, describing an experience, arguing a point, or reflecting on a feeling). Next, test each answer against the passage: eliminate any choice that introduces something never mentioned (like loneliness, bad weather, or doubt here) or that only reflects a tiny detail rather than the whole passage. The correct answer should match both the content and the tone from beginning to end without requiring you to assume extra information.
Hints
Check the tone
Ask yourself: Is the narrator’s attitude toward the tidal pool positive, negative, or neutral? Look for emotionally charged words and imagery that show how she feels.
Look for repeated ideas
Notice what the narrator keeps coming back to: Is it her own emotional state, the challenges of her work, or the details and timing of what happens in the pool?
Compare each choice to specific lines
For each answer choice, ask: Can I point to a clear line or phrase in the passage that supports this idea, without having to imagine or assume extra information?
Pay attention to the ending
Reread the final sentence. How does the narrator describe the “real record” of the pool, and what does that suggest about her feelings toward studying it?
Step-by-step Explanation
Capture the overall feeling of the passage
Read the passage once to get the general mood. The narrator uses rich, vivid descriptions of the tidal pool: “Anemones unfurled like slow fireworks,” “tiny shrimp flickered,” “minutes dissolved into hours.” This language creates a sense of wonder and absorption, not boredom, frustration, or doubt.
Notice what the biologist focuses on
The narrator is paying close attention to the life in the pool and how time feels there: “traced each ripple,” “recorded every flicker of movement,” “the regular boom of distant waves marked time, but inside the pool a quieter clock ticked.” The focus is on the intricate activity in the pool and its rhythms, not on the narrator’s personal problems or external difficulties.
Use details to test each answer choice
• Choice A (loneliness): There is no mention of the biologist feeling lonely or unhappy about being alone. Instead, she is fully engaged with what she sees.
• Choice C (frustrated by weather): The passage never mentions storms, rain, or any bad weather. The only environmental descriptions are of waves, light, and dusk, and none are presented as obstacles.
• Choice D (doubts the scientific value): The narrator never questions whether the pool is worth studying. In fact, she suggests the opposite by saying “the ocean seemed to compress its entire energy inside that basin” and that the pool’s “real record” is there for the truly patient.
Eliminating these helps highlight which choice actually fits the passage’s content and tone.
Match the remaining choice to the central idea
The only answer that fits the detailed, positive, and attentive description is Choice B. Throughout the passage, the biologist is fascinated by the tiny creatures and movements in the pool and becomes attuned to its “quieter clock,” showing that she is captivated by the tidal pool’s intricate life and feels connected to its rhythms.