Question

select the correct answer.

read the adapted excerpt from moby dick by herman melville.

alarmed by the three look-outs, the men on deck rushed to the rigging to behold the famous whale they had so long been pursuing. ahab had now gained his final perch, some feet above the other look-outs, tashtego standing just beneath him on the cap of the top-gallant-mast. from this height the whale was now seen some mile or so ahead, at every roll of the sea revealing his high sparkling hump, and regularly jetting his silent spout into the air. to the trusting mariners it seemed the same silent spout they had so long ago beheld in the moonlit atlantic and indian oceans.

which choice best summarizes the excerpt?

• the whale that is jetting its silent spout is the same whale seen in other oceans.
• the sailors believe they are seeing the same whale they saw long before.
• the sailors all rush to see the whale ahead in the distance with its high hump.
• the whale is farther up in the distance, but the sailors can see its high hump.

Explanation:

Analyze the excerpt

The passage describes the crew rushing to see the whale they have long pursued. Ahab climbs to a high perch to observe it. The text notes that the whale is visible a mile ahead, showing its hump and spout. Crucially, the final sentence states: "To the trusting mariners it seemed the same silent spout they had so long ago beheld in the moonlit Atlantic and Indian Oceans."

Evaluate the options

• Option 1: "The whale that is jetting its silent spout is the same whale seen in other oceans." This states it as an objective fact, whereas the text says "it seemed" to the "trusting mariners" to be the same, highlighting their belief.
• Option 2: "The sailors believe they are seeing the same whale they saw long before." This captures the core subjective experience and belief of the mariners described in the climax of the excerpt.
• Option 3: "The sailors all rush to see the whale ahead in the distance with its high hump." This only covers the initial action and physical description, missing the central thematic focus of their recognition/belief.
• Option 4: "The whale is farther up in the distance, but the sailors can see its high hump." This is merely a minor descriptive detail rather than a summary of the passage's meaning.

Determine the best summary

Option 2 is the most complete and accurate summary because it encapsulates the main action and the psychological state of the crew (their belief that this is the legendary whale they have been seeking across oceans).

Answer:

• The whale that is jetting its silent spout is the same whale seen in other oceans.
• The sailors believe they are seeing the same whale they saw long before. (Correct answer)
• The sailors all rush to see the whale ahead in the distance with its high hump.
• The whale is farther up in the distance, but the sailors can see its high hump.