Often, children who read fantasy or science fiction books are thought to be quite strange and anti-social. While this stereotype exists today, these children – at least those who truly enjoy this kind of reading – should be glad that such a stereotype can exist at all. It has not always been the case that such literature even existed. It was only in the twentieth century that the idea of “fantasy,” as separate from traditional myths, really became popular and even able to be stereotyped.Which of the following best concludes the paragraph in accord with its general idea?
Answer(s): D
As the paragraph closes, it indicates that science fiction and fantasy only recently became popular. The paragraph intends to make the general case that the stereotyping of readers of this kind of literature could only have occurred after this popularization. Before this, it was little known or not known at all. The correct answer is the only one that focuses on this aspect. It is generally missed by the other options, which focus on things that are not the main idea of the paragraph (or are not even necessarily implied by it).
After twenty long years of debates and discussions, the church congregation finally decided to purchase the long-needed organ. Little did the outside world know that this delay was caused by the internal politics surrounding the purchase. To the outsiders who would merely attend the regular church organ concerts, it seemed as though the congregation merely lacked the necessary funds for the purchase.Which of the following best concludes the paragraph?
Answer(s): B
The main idea of this paragraph is that, although the church did in fact buy a new organ, the outside world knew little about the politics of the debates surrounding the purchase. In the prompt given above, nothing is specifically said about the debates, so the best answer is one that provides a fact that can be opposed to the common opinion held by outsiders, who merely thought the delay was a matter of financing.
Life in a monastery is far less of a peaceful affair than many people think. In the popular imagination, monks live in quiet farmlands, often far removed from politics of the world and the busyness of day-to-day life in the modern world. These silent men are believed rarely to appear out of their tranquil churches and remote fields.Which of the following sentences best completes this paragraph?
The main idea of this paragraph is that monasteries are not as simple and quiet as many people think. All of the wrong answers either go off on some tangent regarding monasteries or say nothing about the complexities and tumult that are implied by the main idea. The correct answer expresses this added complexity by speaking of the "stressful activities" found in monastic life.
Although most people have found great happiness in their work, it is common wisdom that such satisfaction is ultimately fleeting. Most adults encourage their children to have an excellent work ethic, and perhaps this moral education has led many to equate happiness with success in employment. Still, it is certain that almost all people realize at some point that this original outlook is limited and needs to be outgrown if one is to find true happiness.Which of the following sentences best concludes the paragraph in keeping with its main idea?
The passage does not say anything about the emotional reactions of people when they realize that they need to have a new attitude regarding work. The correct answer is the one that explains how this common notion comes about – either naturally by personal growth or by a midlife crisis.
"The Difficulties of Writing One's First Research Paper" by Matthew Minerd (2013)When a high school student writes his or her first research paper, he or she likely will face a number of difficulties in finding and using sources for the essay. The single most significant of these difficulties is the finding of sources for the paper. The student will likely only know about his or her topic from the discussion that has occurred in class, based on the textbook that is being used. For a research paper, however, it will be necessary to find appropriate texts in the library to support the topic about which he or she is writing. This can be quite overwhelming, for there are often so many books on a given topic that it is difficult to know where to begin if your starting point is only a high school textbook. Many students will be tempted to use every book that they find, not focusing on the most appropriate texts for the topic. On the other hand, some students will rely heavily on a single book on the topic. In this case, many things are overlooked because of the student’s narrow research. Of course, there are a number of other difficulties involved in the writing of such a paper, but the use of sources likely remains the most troublesome by far.What is the main idea of this selection?
The first sentence to pay attention to is the opening one: "When a high school student writes his or her first research paper, he or she likely will face a number of difficulties in finding and using sources for the essay." Clearly, this problem of sources will be the main focus of the selection. This is followed by a reaffirmation that finding sources is the "single most significant" difficulty. After explaining the problem a bit, the author gives the two possible outcomes: (1) students will use far too many books, or (2) students will rely too much on one book.
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