Which element most strongly supports the central idea in a passage?

• A. The author’s biography.
• B. The title alone.
• C. Details from the text that illustrate the central idea.
• D. The setting description.

Answer: (C)

This item tests how a reader determines evidence that supports the passage’s main point. The strongest support comes from details that come directly from the text—specific examples, facts, events, or quoted phrases—that illustrate and reinforce the idea the author is presenting. These textual details are built into the passage to prove the point and can be traced back to the author’s argument.

The author’s biography can provide useful background, but it isn’t evidence from the passage itself and doesn’t by itself prove the main point. The title might hint at what the piece is about, but by itself it doesn’t show how the idea is developed or supported throughout the text. Setting descriptions can add context or mood, but they don’t inherently demonstrate the main point unless the text connects them to the idea with explicit details. So, details from the text that illustrate the main point provide the best support.