Question

paraphrasing a passage
but those who ate this honeyed plant, the lotus,
never cared to report, nor to return:
they longed to stay forever, browsing on
that native bloom, forgetful of their homeland.
-the odyssey,
homer
read the passage. identify the central idea and key details. then, paraphrase the passage.

Explanation:

First, identify the central idea: Eating the lotus plant makes people lose their desire to return home, wanting to stay and eat the lotus instead. Key details: the plant is the honeyed Lotus; those who eat it don't want to report back or return; they wish to stay forever eating the lotus and forget their homeland. Then, rephrase the passage in modern, clear language while preserving this core meaning.

Answer:

Central Idea:

Consuming the Lotus plant removes people's drive to return to their homes, leaving them only wanting to remain and feed on the Lotus.

Key Details:

1. The plant in question is the sweet, honeyed Lotus.
2. Those who eat it abandon all desire to report back or go home.
3. They crave to stay permanently eating the local Lotus bloom, and lose all memory of their homeland.

Paraphrase:

Yet all who ate that sweet, honey-like Lotus plant lost any urge to send word back or go back to their own land: they only wished to stay there forever, feeding on that local flower, and completely forgot about their home.