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Difficulty: MediumIdentification of Main Idea and Supporting Details

Read the passage below carefully:

In Kantamanto Market in Accra, Ghana, millions of second-hand garments arrive weekly from high-income nations, forming one of the largest informal textile re-use and upcycling hubs in the world. While critics often label this trade as mere waste dumping, local tailors and dyers actively re-engineer worn clothing, transforming discarded garments into newly styled apparel for West African consumer markets. This complex informal ecosystem not only diverts tons of synthetic waste from local landfills but also generates livelihoods for tens of thousands of artisans. However, the sheer volume of imported textiles increasingly overwhelms local infrastructure, leaving unmarketable synthetic fabrics to clog municipal waterways. Thus, while Kantamanto demonstrates remarkable community-level circularity, it ultimately underscores the urgent need for global fashion producers to reduce output rather than relying on global South informal economies to absorb excess production.

Which of the following best expresses the central argument of the passage?

  1. Although Kantamanto's informal sector creatively repurposes massive textile waste, resolving the crisis requires global fashion producers to curb overproduction.Answer
  2. B
    Local tailors and dyers in Accra generate widespread employment by transforming discarded garments into newly styled clothing.
  3. C
    Municipal landfills and waterways in Ghana have successfully managed the influx of synthetic second-hand clothing.
  4. D
    High-income nations intentionally export low-quality clothing to suppress local West African textile manufacturing industries.

Answer

Although Kantamanto's informal sector creatively repurposes massive textile waste, resolving the crisis requires global fashion producers to curb overproduction.
The correct answer accurately synthesizes the full scope of the passage. It acknowledges both the positive local upcycling initiatives at Kantamanto Market and the author's primary thesis presented in the concluding sentence—that global textile producers must ultimately reduce production levels.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the passage structure and topic sentences
Identified that the passage discusses local upcycling efforts in Kantamanto Market alongside the environmental strain caused by massive imports.
Understanding the interplay between paragraphs reveals how the passage builds toward its conclusion.
2
Locate the author's main takeaway and thesis statement
The final sentence uses the transition 'Thus' to signal the central thesis: community-level circularity highlights the need for global producers to reduce output.
The concluding thought synthesizes both the positive local efforts and the overriding systemic problem.
3
Evaluate options against central thesis versus supporting points
Determined that statements highlighting only artisan jobs or waterway clogging capture supporting details, whereas the correct statement synthesizes both local efforts and the primary call for systemic global change.
The main idea must represent the overarching theme of the entire text, not just a single paragraph or supporting fact.

Key Concept

Identifying Main Idea and Distinguishing Central Thesis from Supporting Details
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Identification of Main Idea and Supporting Details

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