Read the excerpt from "Tools of the Spymaster." General Gates's troops held their ground. Benedict Arnold, one of Gates's generals, argued for a counterattack that would smash the British force. Gates, outraged that Arnold would challenge his order, took away his command. But the rash Arnold saw a chance to strike a crucial blow. He galloped through the crossfire of both armies, inspiring his men. A bullet struck his leg, but he rode on, leading the final assault that shattered the British fortifications. If he had died of his wounds that day, Arnold would be remembered as one of the great heroes of the Revolutionary War.

The author’s main purpose in this excerpt is to

describe to the reader a brave act by a historical figure.
illustrate to the reader the dangers of questioning orders.
persuade the reader that challenging orders is heroic.
show the reader how violent the Revolutionary War was.
Which best describes the central idea of this excerpt?

Major Tallmadge created a code that substituted numbers for words during the Revolutionary War.
Major Tallmadge created a code in which “city” was “88” during the Revolutionary War.
During the Revolutionary War, Major Tallmadge gave General Washington the key to his codes.
During the Revolutionary War, Major Tallmadge gave soldiers a cipher for words not included in the code.