Question #N1259

The following passage is from a novel set in the early 20th century. The narrator is a young woman who is traveling to a remote island with her husband. The passage highlights her feelings about the island and the voyage. "My husband, a man of the sea, and I, a woman of the world, were sailing towards an island that seemed at once familiar and utterly alien, a place where the past and present were forever tangled. I had heard tales of the island’s beauty, of its verdant hills and sparkling beaches, but nothing could have prepared me for the sheer intensity of the place. I was drawn to it, yet terrified by it, a siren song calling me closer, yet threatening to swallow me whole."

Which choice best describes the main idea of the passage?
A. The narrator is excited about the journey but also anxious about the unknown.
B. The narrator is feeling nostalgic for the island, which she has visited before.
C. The narrator is ambivalent about the island, feeling both drawn to and repelled by it.
D. The narrator is trying to convince her husband to turn back before they reach the island.

Correct Answer is: C

The passage uses contrasting language to describe the narrator's feelings about the island. Words like "familiar" and "alien" as well as "drawn to" and "terrified by" highlight her ambivalence about the journey.