Question 16·Easy·Central Ideas and Details
The following passage is from the 1917 diary of Anna Carter, who has just moved to the small town of Mapleton.
I had imagined from Aunt Clara’s glowing descriptions that the Mapleton Public Library would be a marble palace, its halls echoing with scholarly whispers. Instead, the building that stood at the corner of Elm Street was a squat brick rectangle, its windows clouded by decades of coal dust. Yet the moment I stepped inside and inhaled the mingled scent of paper and varnish, disappointment dissolved. Miss Whitaker, the grey-haired librarian, guided me between shelves that seemed to lean together conspiratorially, offering me secrets. Every worn spine—no matter how dull its cover—promised adventure. By the time the town clock struck three, I had forgotten the dingy exterior, Aunt Clara’s exaggerations, and even the drizzle outside; all that mattered was the stack of borrowed worlds cradled in my arms.
Which choice best states the main idea of the passage?
For main idea questions, first read the whole passage, then briefly summarize in your own words what happens and how the narrator’s attitude changes from beginning to end. Next, scan the choices and eliminate any that (1) contradict clear facts, (2) focus on minor details instead of the whole passage, or (3) miss an important shift in feeling or perspective. Finally, choose the option that best paraphrases your own short summary, especially capturing any change in emotion or viewpoint.
Hints
Focus on the overall story, not small details
Read the whole passage and ask yourself: How does the narrator feel at the beginning, and how does she feel by the end? The main idea answer should cover that full journey.
Compare outside versus inside
Pay attention to how the building itself is described and then how the experience among the shelves and books is described. Are the descriptions similar in feeling, or different?
Check each choice against the passage
For each answer choice, ask: Does this match both what the narrator says about Aunt Clara, the librarian, and her final mood when she leaves the library?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the question type
The question asks which choice "best states the main idea of the passage." That means you need a choice that sums up the entire passage, especially focusing on how the narrator’s feelings develop from beginning to end.
Examine the narrator’s first impression
Look closely at the beginning of the passage. Anna expects "a marble palace" because of Aunt Clara’s "glowing descriptions," but what she actually sees is a "squat brick rectangle" with "windows clouded by decades of coal dust." Words like "squat," "clouded," and the contrast with "marble palace" show that her initial reaction to the building is negative and disappointed.
Examine how the narrator feels inside the library
Now focus on what happens once Anna steps inside. Her "disappointment dissolved" as she smells the books and varnish. The librarian guides her through shelves that seem to offer "secrets," and "every worn spine" promises "adventure." By the end, she has "forgotten the dingy exterior" and cares only about the "stack of borrowed worlds" in her arms. These details show that, inside, she feels excited and happy.
Match the choices to this overall progression
The main idea must capture both parts: her negative reaction to the outside and her positive reaction to the inside. Eliminate any choice that (1) says the aunt’s description was accurate when the passage calls them "exaggerations," (2) blames the librarian when the librarian is helpful, or (3) claims she stays unimpressed the whole time even though she clearly becomes absorbed and delighted by the books.
The only choice that correctly summarizes this change—from disappointment with the library’s appearance to delight in what she finds inside—is: "The narrator is initially disappointed by the library’s appearance but becomes delighted by the treasures inside."