The following text is adapted from Edgar Allan Poe's 1849 story Landor's Cottage. During a pedestrian trip last summer, through...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
The following text is adapted from Edgar Allan Poe's 1849 story Landor's Cottage.
During a pedestrian trip last summer, through one or two of the river counties of New York, I found myself, as the day declined, somewhat embarrassed about the road I was pursuing. The land undulated very remarkably; and my path, for the last hour, had wound about and about so confusedly, in its effort to keep in the valleys, that I no longer knew in what direction lay the sweet village of B——, where I had determined to stop for the night.
Which choice best states the main idea of the text?
The narrator remembers a trip he took and admits to getting lost.
The narrator recalls fond memories of a journey that he took through some beautiful river counties.
The narrator describes what he saw during a long trip through a frequently visited location.
The narrator explains the difficulties he encountered on a trip and how he overcame them.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "During a pedestrian trip last summer, through one or two of the river counties of New York," |
|
| "I found myself, as the day declined, somewhat embarrassed about the road I was pursuing." |
|
| "The land undulated very remarkably;" |
|
| "and my path, for the last hour, had wound about and about so confusedly, in its effort to keep in the valleys," |
|
| "that I no longer knew in what direction lay the sweet village of B——, where I had determined to stop for the night." |
|
Part B: Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: The narrator recounts getting lost during a walking trip when his winding path through hilly terrain left him unsure of his direction to his intended destination.
Argument Flow: The narrator establishes the context of his summer walking trip, then presents his central problem of being confused about his route. He explains this confusion by describing the challenging terrain and how his path wound confusingly through valleys for an hour, ultimately resulting in his being lost and unable to find his intended stopping place for the night.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
- What's being asked? The main idea of the entire text
- What type of answer do we need? A statement that captures the central message or primary focus of the passage
- Any limiting keywords? "best states" - we need the most accurate and complete representation of the main idea
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The correct answer should capture that this is a memory or recollection (the narrator is looking back on "last summer")
- Should involve the narrator getting lost or confused about his location
- Should be set during some kind of trip or journey
- The passage is fundamentally about someone remembering a time when they got lost while traveling
- The right answer should acknowledge both the retrospective nature of the account and the core issue of becoming lost during travel
The narrator remembers a trip he took and admits to getting lost.
- Captures both key elements: this is a memory ("remembers a trip") and the central problem (getting lost)
- Matches our analysis perfectly - the narrator is indeed recounting a past experience where he became disoriented
- "Admits to getting lost" aligns with his confession that he "no longer knew in what direction" his destination lay
The narrator recalls fond memories of a journey that he took through some beautiful river counties.
- Mischaracterizes the tone as "fond memories" when the narrator describes being "embarrassed" and confused
- Focuses on the counties being "beautiful" which isn't supported - he mentions they're hilly but doesn't describe them as beautiful
The narrator describes what he saw during a long trip through a frequently visited location.
- Claims this is a "frequently visited location," but the text gives no indication the narrator has been there before
- Says he "describes what he saw" but the passage focuses on his confusion about direction, not visual descriptions
- Misses the central point about getting lost entirely
The narrator explains the difficulties he encountered on a trip and how he overcame them.
- States he "overcame" the difficulties, but the passage ends with him still lost - there's no resolution provided