Question

Read the paragraph about espionage.

Governments use spies to find out secret information about enemies—or even allies—so they can make smart choices during tense times. Over the years, spies have used all kinds of clever tricks, from invisible ink and secret codes to modern computers and hidden cameras. Of course, spying isn’t all glamorous—it brings up tough questions about trust and privacy. For example, when one country secretly listens in on the private conversations of another country that it’s supposed to be friends with, it’s hard to tell whether that’s smart protection or a serious betrayal.

What is the controlling idea?

Spying is a clever and exciting activity that helps countries win wars and outsmart their enemies.
Spying is a necessary but ethically uncertain practice that forces nations to balance security with trust.

Answer 1

The second option.

The paragraph presents spying as useful for gathering information and protecting a country, but it also emphasizes ethical uncertainty—questions of trust and privacy—so nations must balance security with trust.