How to answer it
- Read the whole text before you look at the choices.
- Say its main point to yourself in one sentence.
- Pick the choice that matches your sentence without adding to it or narrowing it.
Worked example
An original question in the SAT format, already answered.
Urban beekeeping has grown in many cities. Researchers studying London found that honeybee hives there now outnumber what local flowers can support. Where hives are densest, wild bee species have become less common, which suggests the hives compete with wild bees for the same nectar.
Which choice best states the main idea of the text?
- AUrban beekeeping has become popular in London.
- BDense honeybee hives in a city may crowd out wild bees by competing for food.
- CWild bees prefer different flowers than honeybees do.
- DResearchers recommend banning beekeeping in London.
Answer: B. B covers the whole text: too many hives, and what that does to wild bees. A is only the opening detail, C contradicts “the same nectar,” and D adds a recommendation the text never makes.
The most common trap
A choice that repeats the first sentence often looks right. Check that it covers the whole text, not just how it starts.
Practice it
Hourly Prep’s daily sets mix central ideas and details with the rest of SAT Reading and Writing, and send more of it your way when it’s a weak spot. See how the SAT prep plan works, or browse the other SAT skill guides.