Read the passage from "How Books Can Open Your Mind!"
But my dream was to become a Chinese opera singer. That is me playing my imaginary piano. An opera singe must start training young to learn acrobatics, so I tried everything I could to go to opera school. I even wrote the school principal and the host of a radio show. But no adults liked the idea. No adults believed I was serio Only my friends supported me, but they were kids, just as powerless as I was. So at age 15, I knew I was too to be trained. My dream would never come true. I was afraid that for the rest of my life some second-class happiness would be the best I could hope for.
But that's so unfair. So I was determined to find another calling. Nobody around to teach me? Fine. I turned t books. What is the central idea of this passage
• Books provided a purpose after the author couldn't achieve her dream of being an opera singer
The author wrote to many people about becoming an opera singer, but no one listened
• The author was unfairly cheated of the opportunity to become an opera singer because she was too c
Becoming an opera singer was not a realistic goal for the author, which she learned to late
after turning to books
• Books became a substitute for the author's unfulfilled dream of becoming an opera singer
To determine the central idea of this passage, we need to analyze the main message or theme that the author is conveying. In this case, the central idea is that books provided a purpose for the author after she couldn't achieve her dream of becoming an opera singer.
To arrive at this answer, we can identify key details from the passage. The author expresses her dream of becoming a Chinese opera singer and her efforts to pursue that dream, including writing to the school principal and a radio show host. However, no adults believed in her or supported her aspiration. Consequently, she realizes that her dream will not come true and fears settling for a "second-class happiness."
But instead of giving up, the author is determined to find another calling. Since nobody around her could teach her, she turns to books as a means of fulfilling her desire for knowledge and purpose.
By considering the overall message and the various details in the passage, we can conclude that the central idea is that books served as a meaningful outlet for the author when her dream of becoming an opera singer could not be realized.