Question

read the excerpt from around the world in eighty days by jules verne. the weather was bad during the latter days of the voyage. the wind, obstinately remaining in the north - west, blew a gale, and retarded the steamer. the rangoon rolled heavily and the passengers became impatient of the long, monstrous waves which the wind raised before their path. a sort of tempest arose on the 3rd of november, the squall knocking the vessel about with fury, and the waves running high. the rangoon reefed all her sails, and even the rigging proved too much, whistling and shaking amid the squall. the steamer was forced to proceed slowly, and the captain estimated that she would reach hong kong twenty hours behind time, and more if the storm lasted. phileas fogg gazed at the tempestuous sea, which seemed to be struggling especially to delay him, with his habitual tranquility. he never changed countenance for an instant, though a delay of twenty hours, by making him too late for the yokohama boat, would almost inevitably cause the loss of the wager. but this man of nerve manifested neither impatience nor annoyance; it seemed as if the storm were a part of his program, and had been foreseen. aouda was amazed to find him as calm as he had been from the first time she saw him. select the correct answer. which statement best identifies the main idea for a summary of the excerpt? a. a strong storm hits while the rangoon is sailing to hong kong. the storm is so strong that the ship is really struggling, and phileas fogg will lose his bet due to the delay. b. the ship, the rangoon, is now slowed by a storm. it is being knocked around by the fury of the waves despite lowering its sails. if it makes it to port, the passengers will miss their next ship. c. the storm is setting the rangoon behind by 20 days. but phileas fogg is calm as ever, even though he is going to lose the wager that he can get around the world in eighty days. d. sailing on the rangoon, the passengers encounter a storm, but phileas fogg remains calm despite the fact that the weather will delay them by at least 20 hours.

Explanation:

• Option A: The excerpt doesn't say the storm is so strong the ship is "really struggling" or that Fogg will lose his bet due to delay (it says "almost inevitably cause the loss of the wager" but not definite). Eliminate A.
• Option B: The ship is slowed, but there's no mention of "being knocked around" or "missing the next ship" from lowering sails. Eliminate B.
• Option C: The storm delays by twenty hours, not twenty days. Eliminate C.
• Option D: The excerpt states the Rangoon encounters a storm, passengers are impatient, but Fogg remains calm, and the weather will delay them by at least 20 hours (matches "a delay of twenty hours" and Fogg's calm demeanor).

Answer:

D. Sailing on the Rangoon, the passengers encounter a storm, but Phileas Fogg remains calm despite the fact that the weather will delay them by at least 20 hours.