Question 37·Easy·Central Ideas and Details
Read the passage.
Ella adored dawn; the quiet just before sunrise always felt like a secret shared only with her. Today, however, she was up for a different reason. The bakery had asked her to arrive an hour early because an unexpected order for two dozen croissants had come in overnight. She slipped out of the apartment while her roommate slept, clutching a thermos of coffee.
Based on the passage, why does Ella leave her apartment earlier than usual?
For Reading & Writing detail questions that ask "why" or "based on the passage," always go back and find the exact sentence that answers the question; do not rely on your general impression. Pay attention to contrast words like "however" or "but," which often signal an important explanation. Once you find the key sentence, match its meaning directly to an answer choice and eliminate any options that bring in new information or ideas that the passage never mentions.
Hints
Focus on "today, however"
Reread the part that says, “Today, however, she was up for a different reason.” The sentence that follows explains what is different about this morning.
Look for a direct explanation, not a guess
Ask yourself: Does the passage clearly state why she is up early, or am I just assuming based on what she likes (like dawn)?
Match words from the passage to the choices
After you find the sentence that explains why she is up early, look for an answer choice that uses the same idea as that sentence, not one that introduces a new situation that the passage never mentions.
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify what the question is asking
The question asks: “Based on the passage, why does Ella leave her apartment earlier than usual?”
So you need the specific reason given in the passage for her being up and leaving early, not just something she likes or a guess about her plans.
Locate the part of the passage that explains "today"
Look at the contrast in the passage:
Ella adored dawn; the quiet just before sunrise always felt like a secret shared only with her. Today, however, she was up for a different reason.
This tells you that although she usually enjoys dawn, today’s reason is different. You must read the next sentence to find that reason.
Find the sentence that directly answers the question
Right after the contrast, you see:
The bakery had asked her to arrive an hour early because an unexpected order for two dozen croissants had come in overnight.
This sentence directly explains why she is up and leaving earlier than usual. Keep that exact information in mind as you compare the answer choices.
Match the passage to the correct answer choice
Now compare the choices with the sentence you found. Only choice C) The bakery requested her to come in early to fulfill an unexpected order. restates that the bakery asked her to arrive an hour early because of an unexpected order. The other choices add new ideas (rooftop sunrise, earlier train, alarm mistake) that are not mentioned in the passage, so C is the correct answer.