Central Ideas and Details

SAT Reading and Writing· difficulty 2/5

The Sahara was not always a desert. Geological and archaeological evidence — fossil pollen, ancient lake beds, and rock art depicting crocodiles and giraffes — shows that as recently as 6,000 years ago, the region was a humid grassland. Shifts in Earth's orbital geometry gradually altered monsoon patterns, drying the landscape over millennia.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

  • A

    Multiple lines of evidence show the Sahara was once a humid grassland that dried over millennia.

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  • B

    The Sahara has long been a desert.

  • C

    Rock art depicts crocodiles and giraffes.

  • D

    Earth's orbit changes constantly.

Explanation

The passage's main point is the Sahara's transformation, supported by varied evidence — C. A and D are details; B contradicts the text.

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