Which words suggest a central idea for this section?

Question

 

The Pony Express was the first rapid transit and the first fast mail line across the continent from the Missouri River to the Pacific Coast. It was a system by means of which messages were carried swiftly on horseback across the plains and deserts, and over the mountains of the far West. It brought the Atlantic coast and the Pacific slope ten days nearer to each other.

 

Which words suggest a central idea for this section? 

 

A)Rapid, fast, swiftly

B)Continent, coast, system

C)Plains, deserts, mountains

D)Mail, messages, nearer

 

I think the answer is B but can it be D?

Answer 1

Ahh, practicing for a standardized test I see...

 

Unfortunately answers to this type of question are a little dependent on the paragraphs around it and are subjective - but here is my idea.

 

What is the paragraph about? Pony Express, fast, coast to coast, mail.

Plains, deserts, and mountains really have nothing to do with what was going on.

Yes, it was across the continent, coast to coast, but that wasn't the main idea, nor was the fact that is was a system of delivery.

The big thing about the Pony Express was that

1) it was rapid, fast, and swift

2) it delivered mail and messages bringing the East and West closer (in communications).

 

So I would pick A or D - it is a tossup as far as I am concerned.

You could make a good argument for either one.

 

If I was trying to out guess the minds of the test writers and bubble in the "right" answer I'd personally go for D.

A is all about speed but doesn't indicate what.

D says mail and messages made the coasts closer.