Excerpt from: stranded tracy wilson i think i have almost learned to track the time by the rays of the sun. time, like water, seems to sit in a pot unable to boil if your eye isn’t constantly on it. time seems to be the only thing that man hasn’t learned to control, but i am sure some genius, like fred johnson, is currently working on it while sitting in a cubicle checking the four thousand emails on his palm pilot. as for me, i think i will lean back on this dune and nap a while before i head out to catch some lunch. the word "genius" used in the sentence in this context most likely means a) someone who arrogantly believes he is smart b) a guardian spirit of a place or institution. c) a boring, dull fellow with little imagination. d) an exceptional natural capacity or talent for something.

Read the passage. the dust bowl during the 1930s, extreme drought and high winds made life incredibly difficult in the great plains region of the united states. in many areas, rainfall was forty percent less than normal. the soil became extremely dry, and when strong winds blew, they created tremendous dust storms. these so-called “black blizzards” were so thick that they made daylight seem like dusk. during this terrible period, the great plains region of the united states was named the “dust bowl.” over the next few years, the drought continued, and the winds created more dust storms. in some places, the drought and high winds lasted for eight years. many people wondered if the black blizzards would ever end. which statement about this paragraph’s main idea is true? this paragraph’s main idea is stated in the topic sentence. there are not enough details to support the main idea. this paragraph’s main idea is implied. this paragraph does not express a main idea.