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Information and IdeasMediumMain idea of a passage on a habit's cost

Information and Ideas practice question

Leaving devices on standby seems harmless, and for any one household the cost is small, a few pounds a year. Multiplied across a country of thirty million households, however, standby power adds up to the output of a medium-sized power station running all year.

Which choice best states the main idea of the text?

  1. A. Standby power costs little per household but a great deal in total across a country.Correct
  2. B. Standby power is a major expense for each household.
  3. C. Devices on standby use no electricity.
  4. D. A medium-sized power station serves thirty million households.

Answer: A. Standby power costs little per household but a great deal in total across a country.

Small each, large together.

Why the other answers are wrong

B. Standby power is a major expense for each household.
A few pounds a year is small.
C. Devices on standby use no electricity.
They use a little.
D. A medium-sized power station serves thirty million households.
The station is a comparison for the standby total, not a description of what it serves.

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