Choose evidence that best illustrates an example or supports a straightforward analytical point.
Core Idea
Pick the evidence that most clearly demonstrates or exemplifies a specific point made in the passage.
Understanding
"Illustrate" questions are close cousins of "support" questions, but with a subtle difference. Instead of proving a claim is true, you're finding a concrete example that shows the claim in action. Think of it as picking the best show-don't-tell moment.
The best illustration is specific and concrete. If the passage says beaver ponds are biodiversity hotspots, the best illustration isn't a general statement about beavers — it's a specific comparison showing more species in ponds than elsewhere.
Watch out for choices that provide background information, describe processes, or give statistics that sound impressive but don't actually show the claim happening in a real-world example.
Step by Step
- Identify the specific point or claim the question asks you to illustrate.
- Ask yourself: "What would a concrete example of this look like?"
- Look for the choice that shows the claim in action with specific details.
- Eliminate choices that give background, describe processes, or offer tangential facts.
- Confirm that your pick makes the reader think, "Yes, that's exactly what the passage means."
Misconceptions
- Confusing background information about the topic with a concrete illustration of the claim.
- Picking evidence that's factually interesting but doesn't demonstrate the specific point in question.
- Choosing a statistic that sounds impressive without checking whether it actually shows the claim in action.
Worked Example
Ecologist Maria Torres has documented what she calls "ecosystem engineering" by beavers in the Pacific Northwest. Torres argues that beaver dams create conditions supporting a far wider range of species than the surrounding undammed streams. Her research shows that beaver ponds function as biodiversity hotspots.
Which finding from Torres's research would best illustrate her claim that beaver ponds function as biodiversity hotspots?
Select an answer to see the explanation