SAT OwlQuestion bank / Central Ideas and Details
The following text is from a 1908 novel by Lucinda Graves. Martha has recently moved from a farm to a large city.
From her window on the fourth floor, Martha could see nothing but other windows, row upon row of them, each with its own lamp and its own drawn curtain. At home there had been fields in every direction and a neighbor's chimney smoke on the horizon, and she had never once felt alone. Here, with a thousand people within shouting distance, she had not yet spoken to a single one.
Which choice best states the main idea of the text?
Martha feels lonely in the city even though many people live close to her.
Martha regrets leaving the farm because the work there was easier.
Martha is curious about the lives of the people behind the windows across from hers.
Martha enjoys the privacy that the city gives her.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: A
The text contrasts the farm, where Martha "never once felt alone" despite distant neighbors, with the city, where a thousand people are nearby but she has spoken to none of them. The main idea is her loneliness in a crowded place, choice A.
Choice C is tempting because Martha looks at the windows, but the curtains are drawn and the focus is on her isolation, not curiosity about her neighbors.
Why the other choices are wrong
- B. The text never mentions the difficulty of farm work. It contrasts her past sense of connection with her current isolation, not the physical labor she left behind.
- C. The drawn curtains block her view of the people inside. The passage focuses on her feeling alone despite the crowd, not on any curiosity about her neighbors' lives.
- D. Martha feels isolated, not content. The text highlights that she has not spoken to anyone, which indicates loneliness rather than an enjoyment of privacy.
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