Question 5·Medium·Central Ideas and Details
Archivists at a city museum are cataloging two recently donated collections of travel journals. The first collection, kept by merchant Sofia Delgado between 1860 and 1885, records her voyages throughout South America and contains meticulous descriptions of trade routes, cultural festivals, and emerging rail lines. The second collection, written by naturalist Avi Sharma from 1910 to 1920, chronicles expeditions across northern India, focusing largely on botanical sketches and notes on mountain ecology. Although both collections occasionally mention interactions with indigenous communities, researchers interested in the development of regional commerce during the late nineteenth century will likely find Delgado's journals especially valuable.
What does the text indicate about the journals kept by Sofia Delgado?
For central-ideas-and-details questions that ask what the text indicates, start by locating the sentence or two in the passage that discusses the person or object named in the question. Underline key facts: who or what it is about, the time period, the place, and the main focus or purpose. Then check each choice against those exact details, eliminating any option that changes the time or place, mixes up people or subjects, adds a purpose or comparison not stated, or introduces new information. The correct answer will closely paraphrase what is explicitly said or clearly implied, without going beyond the text.
Hints
Find the part about Sofia Delgado
Focus on the sentences that describe the first collection of travel journals, the ones kept by Sofia Delgado. Ignore details about Avi Sharma for now.
Notice time and place
Underline or note the years and locations connected to Delgado's journals. Then see which answer choices match that same time period and region.
Look at what the journals actually describe
Pay attention to the kinds of things Delgado's journals describe (for example, what kinds of routes or activities). Eliminate any answer choices that talk about topics the passage does not mention for her journals.
Beware of added or shifted details
Ask yourself for each option: does the passage clearly say this about Delgado's journals, or is the choice adding a new idea (like a different purpose, a comparison, or a different country or time) that is not in the text?
Step-by-step Explanation
Restate what the question is asking
The question asks: according to the passage, what is true about Sofia Delgado's journals? This means you must find specific information in the passage about her journals and choose the option that accurately paraphrases that information without adding anything extra.
Locate the key description of Delgado's journals
Look at the first collection in the passage. It says that Delgado's journals:
- were kept between 1860 and 1885,
- record voyages throughout South America,
- contain meticulous descriptions of trade routes, cultural festivals, and emerging rail lines.
The last sentence also says that researchers interested in the development of regional commerce during the late nineteenth century will find her journals especially valuable. That tells you her journals are rich in information about trade and economic development in that period and region.
Check each option against the passage details
Now compare each answer choice to what the passage actually says:
- Ask: Does it match the region (South America vs. northern India)?
- Ask: Does it match the time period (late 1800s vs. early 1900s)?
- Ask: Does it match the content focus (trade routes, rail lines, commerce vs. botany, illustrations, or money/investors)?
Eliminate any choice that changes these details or introduces new information that the passage never mentions.
Match the accurate paraphrase and identify the correct answer
Only one answer correctly matches the passage: that Delgado's journals give careful descriptions of trade routes and emerging rail lines in South America during 1860–1885, which is the late nineteenth century and directly connected to regional commerce. This is restated by choice A: "They provide detailed accounts of trade practices and transport development in South America during the late 1800s."