HSPT Reading : Main Ideas in Contemporary Life Passages
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for HSPT Reading
All HSPT Reading Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #82 : Comprehension
"A Short History of Recent Zoos" by Will Floyd
Throughout the twentieth century, zoos underwent large-scale transformations. Before World War I, zoos were small parts of larger municipal parks, and featured sparse cages with little room for their inhabitants. This model held sway until mid-century, with many zoos struggling to remain open during the Great Depression and World War II. The successful zoos survived through making themselves cheap family entertainment. In the 1960s, zoos began to change in drastic ways. With the growing strength of environmental and animal rights movements, the public clamored for more naturalistic and spacious environments in which the animals could live.
The most emblematic of these transformations was the development of the Los Angeles Zoo. In 1966, the cramped and antiquated zoo used grants from the city government to move to a brand-new facility. Although the zoo moved just two miles away, the new location was exponentially bigger, and it featured fresh landscapes that resembled the animals’ natural habitats, instead of dilapidated cages. As the Los Angeles Zoo developed, it was able to work on preservation and conservation efforts for endangered species. New educational programs also became key elements of the Zoo’s mission. Now the old Zoo’s cages stand as ruins and reminders of what past generations saw when they visited years ago.
The main idea of the passage is __________.
that zoos changed a great deal throughout the twentieth century
that zoos are largely the same as they were a hundred years ago
that zoos are unimportant aspects of urban living
that the Los Angeles Zoo made other zoos less enjoyable
the Great Depression and World War II changed zoos a great deal
that zoos changed a great deal throughout the twentieth century
The opening sentence of the passage notes zoos' "large scale transformations," while the final sentence notes "reminders" of what zoos were like "years ago." In between, the author repeatedly focuses on how and why zoos changed in the twentieth century.
Certified Tutor
Certified Tutor
All HSPT Reading Resources
