Question

read and take notes on the following paragraph, making sure to paraphrase and abbreviate in your notes.
the first act of a newly hatched queen bee is to seek a mate. three to five days after hatching, she attempts her first flight, flying far from the hive to avoid inbreeding. when she is far enough, the queen produces a scent that attracts drones from distant hives. once a drone arrives, mating takes place at an altitude of about fifty feet. following the mating, the queen flies home to lay her eggs. a queen who does not mate by the time she is two weeks old will never mate and will remain barren.

1. which of the following is the main idea of this paragraph?

a. the mating of the queen bee takes place at an altitude of about fifty feet.
b. the first thing a newly hatched queen bee does is seek a mate.
c. the queen goes to great lengths to avoid inbreeding.
d. a queen who does not mate by the time she is two weeks old will never mate and will remain barren.

1. what organizational pattern does this paragraph primarily use?

a. comparison and contrast
b. definition
c. process
d. simple listing

Explanation:

Question 24

To find the main idea, we analyze each option:

• Option A: Describes a detail about the mating altitude, not the main idea.
• Option B: The paragraph starts with "The first act of a newly hatched queen bee is to seek a mate" and then explains the process of seeking a mate (flight, attracting drones, mating, etc.). This option captures the core action introduced at the beginning.
• Option C: Avoiding inbreeding is a detail related to seeking a mate, not the main idea.
• Option D: Describes a consequence of not mating, a supporting detail.

• Option A: No comparison/contrast of different things.
• Option B: Not defining a term.
• Option C: The paragraph explains the process of a newly hatched queen bee seeking a mate (first flight, attracting drones, mating, laying eggs, and the consequence of not mating), which follows a process pattern (describing steps in a sequence).
• Option D: Not just listing items; it's a sequential process.

Answer:

B. The first thing a newly hatched queen bee does is seek a mate.

Question 25