SAT OwlQuestion bank / Central Ideas and Details
The following text is from a 1911 poem by Owen Thrale.
When evening settles on the bay
The boats come drifting home,
Each lantern swinging at its bow
Above the darkened foam.
The wives who watched the sky since noon
Now count them one by one,
And not until the last is in
Is any supper done.
Which choice best states the main idea of the text?
The fishermen return late because the weather on the bay has turned dangerous.
The fishermen prefer to sail at night because their lanterns make the trip easier.
The wives resent the long hours that their husbands spend at sea.
The people waiting on shore stay anxious until every boat has returned safely.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D
The wives have "watched the sky since noon," they count the boats "one by one," and no one finishes supper "until the last is in." These details show a community that cannot relax until every boat is home, choice D.
Choice A reads too much into "watched the sky." The watching shows worry, but the poem never says a storm has come or that the boats are late.
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. Watching the sky hints at worry, but the poem never says the weather turned dangerous or that the boats are late.
- B. The lanterns simply light the boats coming home. The poem says nothing about a preference for sailing at night.
- C. Counting the boats and holding supper until all return shows concern, not resentment.
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