Question

It all began with Effie getting something in her eye. It hurt very much indeed, and it felt something like a red-hot spark-only it seemed to have legs as well, and wings like a fly. Effie rubbed her eye. Her father was a doctor so of course he knew how to take things out of eyes without you being miserable inside your mind-and then she went to her father to have the thing in her eye taken out.

When he had gotten the thing out, he said: "This is very curious. Effie had often got things in her eye before, and her father had always seemed to think it was natural-rather tiresome and naughty perhaps, but still natural. He had never before thought it curious.

Effie stood holding her handkerchief to her eye, and said: "I don't believe it's out." People always say this when they have had something in their eyes.

"Oh yes, it's out," said the doctor. "Here it is, on the brush. This is very interesting."

Effie had never heard her father say that about anything that she had any share in. She said: "What?"

The doctor carried the brush very carefully across the room, and held the point of it under his microscope-then he twisted the brass screws of the microscope and looked through the top with one eye.

"Dear me," he said. "Dear, dear me! Four well-developed limbs; a long caudal appendage; five toes, unequal in lengths, almost like one of the Lacertidae, yet there are traces of wings." The creature under his eye wriggled a little in the castor oil, and he went on: "Yes; a bat-like wing. A new specimen, undoubtedly, Effie, run around to the professor and ask him to be kind enough to step in for a few minutes."

"You might give me sixpence, Daddy," said Effie, "because I did bring you the new specimen. I took great care of it inside my eye, and my eye does hurt."

The doctor was so pleased with the new specimen that he gave Effie a shilling, and presently the professor stepped around. He stayed to lunch, and he and the doctor quarreled very happily all the afternoon about the name and the family of the thing that had come out of Effie's eye.

What is the main idea of the story?

a. Science is more important than professional comfort.
b. Creatures can be painful but pretty.
c. Science can be a painful pursuit.
d. There are unusual creatures all around us.

Answer 1

The main idea of the story is that science can be a painful pursuit.

Step-by-step explanation:

The main idea of the story is c. Science can be a painful pursuit.

The story describes Effie's experience of getting something in her eye and her father's curiosity about the creature that comes out of her eye. The doctor and the professor discuss the unique characteristics of the creature, showing their interest in scientific discovery. Effie's experience and her father's reaction highlight the pursuit of knowledge and the sometimes uncomfortable or painful nature of scientific exploration.

The main idea of the story is that there are unusual creatures all around us that we may discover unexpectedly, as exemplified by the creature found in Effie's eye. The narrative focuses on the curiosity and excitement of Effie's father, a doctor, and a professor as they examine and discuss the oddity of the creature. Throughout the story, the reactions and interactions between the characters emphasize the wonder associated with scientific discovery.