Locate and interpret significant details explicitly stated in the text.
Go back to the line and read the local evidence closely.
Core Idea
Go back to the line. For an explicit-detail question, the answer usually lives in one line or a small cluster of lines.
Understanding
These questions punish memory-based reading. Go back, find the local evidence, and ask what it actually says, not what the whole passage generally suggests.
Use a quick local evidence check:
- Source: match the stem to the right speaker, passage, or paragraph.
- Literal meaning: read what the lines say before you interpret.
- Common trap: watch for familiar wording attached to the wrong person, reason, or time.
Step by Step
- Match the stem to the right speaker, passage, or paragraph.
- Read the lines literally before you interpret them.
- Choose the answer that matches those lines exactly.
Worked Example
Passage 1: A town historian argues that the old ferry terminal should be preserved as a museum because it is one of the last waterfront buildings from the 1890s.
Passage 2: A transit planner supports reopening the terminal because east-side residents lost their most direct route downtown after bridge tolls increased.
According to Passage 2, why does the planner support reopening the terminal?
Select an answer to see the explanation