Question

Choose the option that best captures the central idea of the following paragraph:
Human memory is not a recording of the past but a reconstruction influenced by expectations, emotions, and present needs. People often recall events differently at different times, not because they are careless, but because memory adapts to serve current goals. Understanding this adaptive nature explains why eyewitness testimonies are unreliable and why personal narratives evolve over time.
Question:
Which option best summarizes the paragraph?

Hint:

A good para-summary condenses the entire paragraph into one sentence that preserves the core message while avoiding unnecessary details or examples.

Answer 1

The paragraph explains that memory is reconstructive and adaptive, shaped by present goals rather than a fixed record of past events. As a result, people remember the same event differently over time, making eyewitness accounts unreliable.
A correct summary would therefore be: \[ “Human memory is an adaptive reconstruction rather than an exact recording, which is why recollections change and eyewitness accounts can be unreliable.” \] This captures the central idea without adding or omitting key points.