Question 41·Medium·Central Ideas and Details
Marine biologists recently used satellite tags to monitor the post-nesting migration of dozens of loggerhead sea turtles that laid eggs on the same beach in Florida. Based on earlier, limited observations, the scientists expected the turtles to travel together along a single corridor through the Gulf Stream to feeding grounds in the North Atlantic. Instead, the tracking devices revealed that individual turtles followed widely scattered routes—some staying close to the U.S. coastline, others veering far into the open Atlantic. Despite these differences, every tagged turtle arrived at the same cluster of seagrass meadows near the Azores Islands, where the animals remained for months to feed and restore their energy.
According to the passage, what did the satellite-tag data reveal about the loggerhead turtles’ migration?
For central-idea and detail questions that start with phrases like “According to the passage,” first locate the exact sentence or two that directly answers the question, often signaled by contrast words such as “Instead,” “However,” or “Despite.” Paraphrase those lines in your own words before looking at the choices, then eliminate any option that (1) describes what someone expected rather than what actually happened, (2) adds details not in the passage, or (3) directly contradicts key phrases. Choose the answer that most closely matches the passage’s wording and overall meaning, even if it is not phrased the same way.
Hints
Separate expectations from results
Notice the scientists’ expectation (“expected the turtles to travel together along a single corridor”) and then the word “Instead”, which introduces what actually happened. Focus on the sentences after “Instead.”
Focus on routes and destination
Reread the sentences describing where the turtles traveled (near the coastline or far into the open Atlantic) and what happened “Despite these differences.” Ask yourself: did they end up in the same place or different places?
Check each answer against the text
For each choice, ask: Does the passage say they stayed together the whole time? Does it say most stopped early? Does it say they stayed near Florida the entire migration? Or does it describe something else?
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify what the question is asking
The question asks: “According to the passage, what did the satellite-tag data reveal about the loggerhead turtles’ migration?” This means you need to focus on what actually happened, based on the tracking data—not what the scientists expected before tagging the turtles.
Locate the part of the passage that gives the new information
Look at the contrast signaled by “Instead”:
“Instead, the tracking devices revealed that individual turtles followed widely scattered routes—some staying close to the U.S. coastline, others veering far into the open Atlantic.”
Then read the next sentence:
“Despite these differences, every tagged turtle arrived at the same cluster of seagrass meadows near the Azores Islands, where the animals remained for months to feed and restore their energy.”
These two sentences contain the key evidence about what the satellite tags showed.
Summarize the key details from the evidence
From those sentences, note two main points:
- Routes were different: “individual turtles followed widely scattered routes”—they did not stay in one group or on a single path; some stayed near the coast, others went far into the open Atlantic.
- Destination was the same: “every tagged turtle arrived at the same cluster of seagrass meadows near the Azores Islands,” where they fed for months.
So the data revealed both variation in paths and a shared final feeding site.
Match your summary to the answer choices
Now compare your summary to the choices:
- Any answer saying they traveled together in a single group or stayed near Florida the whole time conflicts with the idea of “widely scattered routes” and a final destination near the Azores (far from Florida).
- Any answer saying most turtles abandoned the journey is contradicted by “every tagged turtle arrived” at the Azores feeding site.
The only choice that correctly states that each turtle took a different route but all ended up at the same feeding area is:
B) Each turtle took its own path, yet all ultimately reached the same feeding site.