Read the following passage:
The railroad was not the first institution to impose regularity on
society, or to draw attention to the importance of precise
timekeeping. For as long as merchants have set out their wares at
Line daybreak and communal festivities have been celebrated, people
(5) have been in rough agreement with their neighbors as to the time of
day. The value of this tradition is today more apparent than ever.
Were it not for public acceptance of a single yardstick of time,
social life would be unbearably chaotic: the massive daily transfers
of goods, services, and information would proceed in fits and
(10) starts; the very fabric of modern society would begin to unravel.
Example I
What is the main idea of the passage?
In modern society we must make more time for our neighbors.
The traditions of society are timeless.
An accepted way of measuring time is essential for the smooth functioning of society.
Society judges people by the times at which they conduct certain activities.
The main idea of the passage is that societies need to agree about how time is measured in order to function smoothly. Therefore, you should choose answer C.