Question

which sentence best expresses the controlling idea of the article?
a the camels were bound for the newly formed u.s. camel corps that belonged to the u.s. war department. (paragraph 2)
b he believed the camels could carry supplies to remote army outposts and even carry soldiers to watch over pioneer settlements. (paragraph 2)
c the southern states decided to secede—or break away—from the northern states and form the confederate states of america. (paragraph 7)
d he asked permission to sell the camels or let them loose on the prairie. (paragraph 7)

Explanation:

To find the controlling idea, we analyze each option:

• Option A: Describes where the camels were going, a detail.
• Option B: Explains the purpose of the camels (carrying supplies, soldiers), which is a central idea about the camels' role.
• Option C: Talks about Southern secession, unrelated to the main idea about camels.
• Option D: Describes what was done with the camels later, a detail.

The controlling idea should relate to the main focus (camels' use), so Option B is best.

Answer:

B. He believed the camels could carry supplies to remote army outposts and even carry soldiers to watch over pioneer settlements. (paragraph 2)