A Day with Humpbacks
I sit on the headlands of Neah Bay, Washington, and watch a mother humpback and her calf slip
through the icy Pacific waters. I recognize this whale by her distinctive tail pattern, as unique to this
humpback as my fingerprints are to me. Once, heavy hunting using harpoons extirpated the species
from the region, and only a ban on whaling allowed populations of humpbacks to recover.

As this gray female rises to the surface, she exhales, sending up a spout nearly 20 feet high. She rolls
on her side and lifts her scalloped-edge flipper in salute, then slaps it on the water. I adjust my lens and
take my shot. This is the only type of whale hunting I find acceptable with a camera.

Which of the following statements conveys the main idea of the passage?

Humpback whale populations are finally recovering after nearly being wiped out.

A Day with Humpbacks
I sit on the headlands of Neah Bay, Washington, and watch a mother humpback and her calf slip
through the icy Pacific waters. I recognize this whale by her distinctive tail pattern, as unique to this
humpback as my fingerprints are to me. Once, heavy hunting using harpoons extirpated the species
from the region, and only a ban on whaling allowed populations of humpbacks to recover.

As this gray female rises to the surface, she exhales, sending up a spout nearly 20 feet high. She rolls
on her side and lifts her scalloped-edge flipper in salute, then slaps it on the water. I adjust my lens and
take my shot. This is the only type of whale hunting I find acceptable with a camera.

Which of the following statements about the passage is true?

In the passage, the writer describes the whale surfacing, exhaling, and slapping her

flipper on the water.