Read the following paragraph from "Five Hours to Simla."

After the cacophony of screeching brakes and grinding gears, there followed the comparatively static hum of engines, and drivers waited in exasperation for the next lurch forwards. For the moment there was a lull, curious on that highway. Then the waiting very quickly began to fray at the edges. The sun was beating on the metal of the vehicles, and the road lay flattened across the parched plain, with no trees to screen it from the sun. First one car horn began to honk, then a bicycle rickshaw began to clang its bell, then a truck blared its musical horn, and then the lesser ones began to go pom­pom, pom­pom almost in harmony, and suddenly, out of the centre of all that noise, a long, piercing wail emerged.

Which of these sentences most effectively summarizes the main ideas in this paragraph?
A. The cars' engines rumbled steadily with their occupants growing more impatient as the heat of the sun intensified.
B. The screeching brakes and grinding gears of the cars made much noise before the waiting game in the mid-day heat began.
C. The cars began to honk at each other, encouraging other vehicles to join in the melody of traffic sounds, with a baby's cry interrupting the harmony.
D. A variety of noises filled the air as the sun beat down on the waiting vehicles, indicating that the long wait was beginning to take its toll on the patience of those who were caught in the traffic.

I think it's D, but I'm not sure. If not, I'd say C. Please help? Thanks

I agree with D.

You're right, D is the correct option! The sentence effectively summarizes the main ideas in the paragraph by mentioning the variety of noises filling the air, the impact of the sun on the waiting vehicles, and the growing impatience of those caught in the traffic. Well done!

The most effective summary of the main ideas in the paragraph would be D. A variety of noises filled the air as the sun beat down on the waiting vehicles, indicating that the long wait was beginning to take its toll on the patience of those who were caught in the traffic. This summary captures the main ideas of the cacophony of noises, the heat of the sun, and the increasing impatience of the drivers.

To determine the most effective summary of the main ideas in the given paragraph, let's break it down and analyze the key elements:

1. The paragraph begins with a description of the noises produced by screeching brakes and grinding gears.
2. The drivers become exasperated, waiting for the traffic to move forward.
3. The heat of the sun intensifies, causing discomfort.
4. Various vehicles start making noise: car horns, bicycle rickshaw bell, and a truck's musical horn.
5. The smaller vehicles join in with their own sounds.
6. Amid all the noise, a long, piercing wail emerges.

Now let's examine the options:

A. The sentence mentions the rumble of engines and the increasing impatience, but it does not include the various noises and the impact of the sun's heat, which are important details from the paragraph. Therefore, option A is not the most effective summary.

B. This sentence mainly focuses on the screeching brakes and grinding gears at the beginning and the waiting game in mid-day heat. Although it mentions noise, it doesn't cover the variety of noises, the specific vehicles, or the final wail. Thus, option B is not the most effective summary.

C. This sentence accurately includes the variety of noises produced by the vehicles, including car horns, bicycle rickshaw bell, and a truck's musical horn. It also mentions the participation of smaller vehicles and the interruption caused by a baby's cry. This summary covers most of the key elements in the paragraph and can be considered an effective summary.

D. This sentence mentions the noises and the impact of the sun's heat on the waiting vehicles. However, it does not include the variety of specific vehicles, the participation of smaller vehicles, or the wail that emerges. Therefore, option D is not the most effective summary.

Based on this analysis, the most effective summary of the main ideas in this paragraph is option C: "The cars began to honk at each other, encouraging other vehicles to join in the melody of traffic sounds, with a baby's cry interrupting the harmony."

Note: While your initial choice of option D was close, it didn't fully encompass all the important details presented in the paragraph.