Question 68·Medium·Central Ideas and Details
Advances in acoustic archaeology have enabled researchers to recreate the sounds of long-extinct musical instruments, as demonstrated by Patricia D. Johnson’s ongoing project to model a 3,000-year-old Mesopotamian lyre. The initiative promises fresh insight into ancient cultures’ rituals, but its reliance on fragmentary artifacts and speculative digital modeling means that any resulting “reconstructions” must be treated as informed approximations rather than definitive replicas.
Which choice best states the main idea of the text?
For main idea questions, first quickly paraphrase the passage in your own words, paying close attention to contrast words like "but," "however," or "yet," which often signal a shift between benefits and limitations. Then eliminate choices that (1) focus on only one part of the passage instead of the whole, (2) introduce ideas or details that aren’t mentioned, or (3) use extreme language that doesn’t match the passage’s careful tone. The remaining answer should reflect both the central topic and the author’s overall stance.
Hints
Locate the contrast in the passage
Reread the second sentence and focus on the word "but." What positive point comes before it, and what more cautious point comes after it?
Think about the author’s attitude
Ask yourself: Does the author seem completely confident in these reconstructions, completely dismissive of them, or somewhere in between?
Watch for extreme language in the choices
Look for words like "prove," "precisely," "completely authentic," or "futile" in the options. Do these match the careful, qualified tone of the passage?
Match both sides: promise and limits
Choose the option that mentions both the usefulness of Johnson’s project and the fact that there are important limits or uncertainties in its results.
Step-by-step Explanation
Understand what the question is asking
The question asks for the main idea of the text. That means you need an answer that:
- Covers the whole passage (not just one detail), and
- Matches the author’s overall attitude, including both positive and negative points if both are present.
Paraphrase the key points of the passage
Break the passage into parts:
- First sentence: Advances in acoustic archaeology let researchers recreate the sounds of ancient instruments, shown by Johnson’s project on a 3,000-year-old lyre.
- Second sentence, first half: The project "promises fresh insight" into ancient rituals (this is positive: potential and value).
- Second sentence, second half (after "but"): Because it relies on incomplete artifacts and speculative digital modeling, the results are only "informed approximations" and not exact replicas (this is cautious: limitations and uncertainty).
Identify the passage’s overall structure and attitude
The key word is "but", which signals a contrast:
- Before "but": The project is promising and useful for understanding ancient cultures.
- After "but": There are serious limits because the evidence is fragmentary and the reconstructions are not definitive. So the main idea must include both the promise (potential insights) and the caution (limitations and approximations).
Check each answer choice against that structure
Now compare each answer to what you found:
- Does it mention both the value and the limits of the project?
- Does it avoid going beyond what the passage says (no exaggerations like "prove," "precisely," or "futile")? Only choice C) Johnson’s lyre project showcases the potential of acoustic archaeology to illuminate ancient life, yet its findings are inherently limited by incomplete evidence. matches the passage’s positive-then-cautious structure and stays true to the details given.