Question

read the passage.

a fairy ring is a circle of mushrooms that grows because the underground parts of the mushrooms spread out in a ring. these rings have a special place in european myths. they are thought to be places where fairies dance in the moonlight and places that serve as entrances to magical kingdoms.

myths about fairy rings date back hundreds of years. one of the earliest mentions of fairy rings is \witches’ rings\ in germany. according to myth, the rings were made by witches dancing in the forest. in england, the witches’ rings were translated into fairy rings or pixie rings. in scandinavian folklore, the rings are created by elves. some myths say that the fairies use the mushrooms as dinner tables or umbrellas.

what is the central idea of this passage?

○ the legend of fairy rings in england
○ the use of fairy rings as the entrance to magical kingdoms
○ the details and history of the fairy ring legend
○ the prominence of fairy rings in scandinavian folklore

Explanation:

The passage first introduces what a fairy ring is and its place in European myths. Then it talks about the history of these myths (dating back hundreds of years, different regional myths like in Germany, England, Scandinavia). The first option is too narrow (only England), the second is a small part of the first paragraph, and the fourth is narrow (only Scandinavian folklore). The third option covers both the details (different myth interpretations) and history (dating back, regional variations) of the fairy ring legend.

Answer:

the details and history of the fairy ring legend