Question 80·Medium·Central Ideas and Details
Marine biologist Asha Raman calls seagrass meadows the world’s “submerged forests.” According to Raman, a single square meter of healthy seagrass can store roughly five times as much carbon as the same area of mature tropical rainforest. Her team has begun reseeding coastal shallows with seagrass shoots collected from thriving beds nearby, a process that takes just a few hours and requires no fertilizer or freshwater. Because the plants grow rapidly and create their own nutrient-rich sediments, costs remain far lower than most terrestrial reforestation projects. Raman therefore argues that seagrass restoration offers one of the most affordable ways to lock away atmospheric carbon while also providing habitat for fish and stabilizing shorelines.
Which choice best states Raman’s central claim in the passage?
For central claim questions, first read the entire short passage, then quickly identify any conclusion signal words like "therefore," "thus," or "argues"—these usually introduce the main point. Ask yourself, "What is the author trying to prove, and what are the details being used to support?" Then test each answer: eliminate choices that focus on a small detail, introduce new information not in the passage, use extreme language (like "most" or "completely") not supported by the text, or contradict the passage. The correct choice will accurately sum up the overall argument in neutral, supported language.
Hints
Find the conclusion signal words
Look for phrases such as "therefore argues" or "thus" that often introduce an author’s main point or conclusion.
Ask what all the details are supporting
The passage gives facts about carbon storage, speed of growth, and low costs. What overall idea do these facts seem to be proving?
Eliminate answers that add new ideas
Check each option and cross out any that talk about time periods, organisms, or comparisons that the passage does not discuss or that go beyond what is said.
Step-by-step Explanation
Clarify what the question is asking
The question asks for Raman’s central claim. That means you are looking for the main argument she is trying to prove, not a detail, example, or side benefit.
Locate where the author states the main argument
Read the whole passage, but pay special attention to the end. The last sentence says, "Raman therefore argues that seagrass restoration offers one of the most affordable ways to lock away atmospheric carbon while also providing habitat for fish and stabilizing shorelines." The phrase "therefore argues" signals a main conclusion drawn from the evidence given earlier.
Separate main point from supporting details
Earlier in the passage, Raman:
- Compares seagrass to “submerged forests” and notes it can store five times as much carbon as rainforest.
- Explains that reseeding is quick and needs no fertilizer or freshwater.
- States costs are far lower than most land-based reforestation.
All of these are reasons that support her final argument about seagrass restoration being a particularly good method for handling atmospheric carbon.
Test each answer choice against the main argument
Now compare that main argument to each option:
- One option talks about how much coastline seagrass covers over time, which the passage never mentions.
- One option claims that most marine organisms are completely dependent on seagrass, which is far stronger than anything stated.
- One option says land trees store more carbon than seagrass, which directly contradicts the passage’s comparison.
- One option correctly summarizes Raman’s conclusion that restoring seagrass meadows is an efficient and affordable way to reduce atmospheric carbon.
So the best answer is: Restoring seagrass meadows is an efficient and affordable strategy for reducing atmospheric carbon.