Question
Both the British and the Americans frequently used horseback riders to carry messages, and both sides tried to capture the riders and get the messages. The rider who lost one of Washington's important messages was Tallmadge himself. It happened when Tallmadge and some of his men were attacked by British troops near the Connecticut–New York border. Tallmadge escaped unharmed but lost a saddlebag full of secret papers.
Luckily, Tallmadge's code did not fall into British hands. But among the papers was a letter from Washington in which he carelessly gave the name and address of an agent, George Higday, saying that he was a man who would probably "convey intelligence to me." Higday was arrested, but he had managed to destroy all evidence of spying.
—George Washington, Spymaster,
Thomas B. Allen
What is the central idea in this passage?
1Invisible ink was a good choice when writing in code.
2Giving up information could be a disaster for either side.
3George Washington could have done a better job managing his spies.
4The British used horseback riders to deliver messages.
Luckily, Tallmadge's code did not fall into British hands. But among the papers was a letter from Washington in which he carelessly gave the name and address of an agent, George Higday, saying that he was a man who would probably "convey intelligence to me." Higday was arrested, but he had managed to destroy all evidence of spying.
—George Washington, Spymaster,
Thomas B. Allen
What is the central idea in this passage?
1Invisible ink was a good choice when writing in code.
2Giving up information could be a disaster for either side.
3George Washington could have done a better job managing his spies.
4The British used horseback riders to deliver messages.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The central idea in this passage is: **2. Giving up information could be a disaster for either side.**
The passage illustrates the risks associated with the transmission of sensitive information during the war, highlighting how losing a message could lead to dangerous consequences, such as the arrest of an agent and potential exposure of intelligence.
The passage illustrates the risks associated with the transmission of sensitive information during the war, highlighting how losing a message could lead to dangerous consequences, such as the arrest of an agent and potential exposure of intelligence.