Question

read the passage.
publishing doctor zhivago
boris pasternaks 1956 novel doctor zhivago tells the story of a russian doctor living at the time of the 1917 russian revolution, which led to the establishment of the soviet union. because the book dealt with hardships people faced after the revolution, publishers in the soviet union refused to release it, calling it anti-soviet. pasternaks solution was to have the book smuggled out of the soviet union and published in europe. though soviet authorities tried to prevent it, the book was published in italy in 1957 and was immediately well received. in 1958, it was translated into english and went on to become one of the most popular novels of the 1950s.
what is the main, or central, idea of the passage?
boris pasternak couldnt get his book doctor zhivago published in the soviet union, so he had the book smuggled out of the country.
doctor zhivago showed the problems that russians faced following the russian revolution, so it was considered anti-soviet.

Explanation:

The passage mainly tells about Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago. It first mentions the content of the novel (a Russian doctor's story during the 1917 Russian Revolution and the hardships after). Then it says Soviet publishers refused to publish it (calling it anti - Soviet). Pasternak's solution (smuggling it out) and the subsequent publication (in Italy in 1957, then translated to English in 1958 and became popular). The first option only focuses on the publication issue in the Soviet Union and the smuggling part. The second option only focuses on the reason for it being considered anti - Soviet. But the overall passage is about the process of the book's publication despite Soviet opposition. However, if we have to choose from the given two options, the first option is more comprehensive as it includes the main action (couldn't publish in Soviet Union and smuggled out) which is a key part of the whole story. The second option is just a reason within the story.

Answer:

Boris Pasternak couldn't get his book Doctor Zhivago published in the Soviet Union, so he had the book smuggled out of the country.