Q1

[jardinsouslapluie5]

Is (C) wrong because it does not mention Byron?

Also, I cannot completely understand why (B) is right.
Why is "recurring"?

Thank you in advance.

[bbirdwell]

So, in considering main idea questions, we must be careful to eliminate answer choices that are too broad or too narrow. We can also quickly eliminate choices that incorrectly reflect the Scale of the passage.

(A) This choice is both too narrow -- Byron's lack of method is a small point mentioned in paragraph 2 -- and on the wrong side of the scale; our author is a FAN of Byron, therefore the main idea is certainly not Byron's lack of greatness.

(B) What presence recurs in the works of Byron? His! The whole of the passage is concerned with the fact that understanding the man himself, taking into account the biographical aspects of his work, is absolutely essential to reading/criticizing/appreciating his poetry.

(C) Far too broad. The passage is about Byron, not the entire scope of 19th century poetry.

(D) Wildly inaccurate. The passage is simply not about this.

(E) Too broad -- the passage is about Byron, not the entire scope of 20th century criticism.