Question

What main idea of The Fejee Mermaid is supported by paragraphs 8 through 10? Use two details from the article to support your response.

Answer 1

• Paragraph 8 states that the mermaid was exhibited by a man named Moses Kimball, who had a reputation for exhibiting "curiosities" and hoaxes. The article also mentions that Kimball had paid $6,000 for the mermaid and was charging 50 cents per admission to see it. This suggests that Kimball's motivation was profit rather than the display of a genuine, mythical creature.
• Paragraph 10 discusses how the mermaid was eventually debunked as a hoax by a group of scientists and scholars, who discovered that it was made up of various animal parts, including a monkey's head and torso, sewn onto a fish's body. This further supports the idea that the mermaid was a deliberate fabrication, rather than a genuine creature, as it was made up of disparate parts stitched together to create a convincing illusion.

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