Reading Comprehension

PT110 · S4 · P1 · Q1 Okapis

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The okapi, a forest mammal of central Africa, has presented zoologists with a number of difficult questions since they first learned of its existence in 1900.

Topic

Okapis—mysterious forest mammals of central Africa: their classification, habits, and lingering questions about their behavior and distribution.

Framework

Answer / Explain

Main Point

The okapi has puzzled zoologists with questions about its classification, population, and behavior, but research has clarified some mysteries (such as its place in the giraffe family and its elusive habits), while other questions—like its preference for forest interiors and limited regional distribution—remain partially unanswered. The Most Valuable Sentence: The first sentence introduces the theme of zoologists being puzzled by the okapi, and the final sentences of paragraphs 3 and 4 pinpoint ongoing questions and current theories.

P1: Classification Mystery

Zoologists were initially confused about whether the okapi was related to horses or giraffes because it shares features with both. After further study, they placed it with the giraffe family based on unique traits like skin-covered horns and a long, flexible tongue.

P2: Estimating Population

People thought okapis were rare because they were seldom seen, but radio-collar tracking proved they're not super rare—just highly concentrated in a small forested area surrounded by savanna.

P3: Why Okapis Are Hard to Find

Okapis camouflage well and are loners (not group animals), staying deep in forests and away from clearings. Their diet includes a variety of leaves from many plants, and they don't overgraze any one type, so they spread out individually rather than gather.

1.

Which one of the following most completely and accurately expresses the main idea of the passage?

  1. Information gathered by means of

    Too Narrow

    This relates to the 2nd paragraph, but it accuses the passage of conveying a vibe like, "Now that we've got these collars, we've got all the answers we were looking for!" The last paragraph is specifically reminding us that there are many unanswered questions.

    4% picked this

  2. Because of their physical characteristics

    Too Specific: start of 20th

    This answer is somewhat tempting. The main clause reflects the overarching idea we're looking for ("we've got a lot of questions about the okapi"). The causal reasons provided in the warm-up clause are indeed relevant factors. But they aren't all of the relevant factors (for example, the fact that they feed almost entirely on leaves and don't travel in groups also contribute to their elusiveness), and there's no reason in the passage to elevate the two causal factors that are mentioned. However perhaps the easiest, though pettiest, way to disqualify this answer is that it says the difficult questions happened at the beginning of the 20th century, the early 1900s'. Our thesis says, "since we discovered the okapi in the early 1900s we've had lots of questions", but that doesn't mean that all our important questions happened in the early 1900s.

    7% picked this

  3. Correct

    Research concerning okapis has answered

    Why this is right

    This looks like the overarching Theme we want (i.e. "we've got questions about the okapi"). And it nicely captures how some of the questions presented in the passage had answers, while others didn't.

    Skill tested: Main Point · how this choice captures the passage's function is the move to repeat next time.

    83% picked this

  4. A new way of tracking

    Too Narrow

    This doesn't sound anything like our big-picture idea, which is about having lots of questions about the okapi. This sounds more like what you'd say the Main Point was, if you had only read paragraphs 2 and 3. But this answer, like (A), conveys too much of a "now our confusion is resolved" type feel. Meanwhile, the passage itself made sure that the final taste in our mouth was "there's still a lot we don't know".

    3% picked this

  5. Despite new research involving radio

    Too Strong: mostly

    This has the right big picture focus (on "questions about okapi"), but it comes off overly negative. It's saying, "Despite some progress, we're still mostly in the dark". The passage felt more like, "We've made some progress! (Although in some areas we're still in the dark)" When we check on the wording that starts the final paragraph, we can't find support for the idea that questions are mostly unanswered. It just says "other questions arise".

    3% picked this

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