SAT OwlQuestion bank / Central Ideas and Details
The following text is from an 1893 novel by Silas Wren. Peter is an apprentice to a clockmaker named Mr. Fell.
Mr. Fell rarely praised anything. When Peter finished assembling his first clock, the old man turned it over in his hands, listened to it tick, and set it on the shelf among his own work without a word. Peter, who had hoped for at least a nod, went home that night feeling foolish. It was not until a week later, when a customer pointed to that very clock and Mr. Fell said, "That one is not for sale," that Peter understood what the silence had meant.
Which choice best states the main idea of the text?
Peter is disappointed that Mr. Fell will not let him sell the clock he made to the customer who admired it.
Mr. Fell plans to sell Peter's clock once it has been repaired.
Mr. Fell is jealous of Peter's skill as a clockmaker.
Peter eventually realizes that Mr. Fell's silence hid a high opinion of Peter's work.
Show answer and explanation
Answer: D
Mr. Fell says nothing about Peter's clock, but he places it among his own work and later refuses to sell it. When Peter hears this, he understands "what the silence had meant": his master valued the clock. That is choice D.
Choice A confuses the source of Peter's disappointment. He feels foolish because he got no praise, and the refusal to sell is what shows him the clock was valued.
Why the other choices are wrong
- A. Peter is disappointed by the lack of praise. The refusal to sell is what reveals Mr. Fell's approval.
- B. Nothing suggests the clock needs repair, and Mr. Fell says it is "not for sale."
- C. Mr. Fell places Peter's clock among his own work and keeps it, which shows he values it. The text gives no sign of jealousy.
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