Question

passage 1
this passage expresses one author’s opinion about ocean exploration.
out there?
what about “down here”?
ufos. ets. aliens. human beings seem to be fanatical about finding life on other planets. but what about the undiscovered beings living right here on our own planet? with nearly two - thirds of earth covered by water, humankind should focus on exploring the oceans rather than some distant planet.
more than 80 percent of the ocean floor is as yet unexplored. by comparison
passage 2
which statement best expresses the author’s main idea in passage 1?
noaa should have a larger budget than nasa has.
ocean exploration is more important to humanity than space exploration.
life on mars shows greater promise than life on earth.
ocean life is more interesting than life in outer space.

Explanation:

To find the main idea, we analyze each option:

• Option 1: The passage doesn't compare NOAA and NASA budgets, so this is incorrect.
• Option 2: The passage states humans are focused on space but should focus on oceans, implying ocean exploration is more important for humanity than space exploration. This matches the main idea.
• Option 3: The passage doesn't discuss life on Mars being more promising than Earth's, so this is incorrect.
• Option 4: The passage is about importance, not interest, so this is incorrect.

Answer:

B. Ocean exploration is more important to humanity than space exploration.