Question 88·Easy·Central Ideas and Details
Honeybees are essential partners in agriculture. As they visit blossoms to collect nectar, their bodies pick up grains of pollen that they then transfer to other flowers of the same species. This movement of pollen allows many fruits and vegetables to develop seeds and grow properly, greatly increasing the amount of food that farms can produce.
According to the text, why are honeybees considered essential partners in agriculture?
For detail questions that ask "According to the text, why…", underline the part of the passage that directly explains the reason (often a sentence with cause-and-effect language like "allows," "so that," or "because"). Then restate that reason in your own words and eliminate any answer choices that (1) bring in outside facts not stated in the passage or (2) focus on side details rather than the main effect mentioned. Choose the option that most directly and completely matches the specific explanation in the text.
Hints
Find where the passage explains their importance
Look back at the sentence that starts with "This movement of pollen..." and think about what result it describes.
Focus on the cause-and-effect relationship
Ask yourself: What does the movement of pollen allow fruits and vegetables to do, and how does that affect farms?
Watch out for outside knowledge
Do not rely on what you know about bees in general. Choose the option that is directly supported by details in the passage, not by your own background knowledge.
Step-by-step Explanation
Locate the key sentence in the passage
Focus on the part of the passage that explains why honeybees are important: "This movement of pollen allows many fruits and vegetables to develop seeds and grow properly, greatly increasing the amount of food that farms can produce." This sentence directly answers why they are "essential partners in agriculture."
Restate the key idea in your own words
In simpler terms, the passage is saying that when bees move pollen from flower to flower, it helps crops form seeds and grow the way they should. Because of this, farms can produce much more food. The importance is about helping plants reproduce and increasing crop yields.
Match the idea to the answer choices
Now compare each option to that idea. Eliminate choices that talk about things the passage never mentions, such as honey production, winter survival, or long-distance flying. The only choice that matches the passage’s explanation—that bees’ transfer of pollen helps crops develop and produce food—is: They pollinate flowers, enabling many crops to produce fruit.