What can be determined about the overall message of a passage?

The overall message of a passage is best determined by the insights based on evidence presented throughout the text. This approach emphasizes the importance of analyzing the content, structure, and arguments made by the author. By engaging with the specific details, examples, and reasoning laid out in the text, readers can derive a more comprehensive understanding of the author's intended message.

Focusing on evidence allows readers to assess the strength of the claims made and to understand how various components of the passage work together to convey a cohesive idea. This method contrasts with solely relying on personal opinion, the introduction, or emotional reactions, which do not provide a basis for understanding the intended message as fully as the analysis of the presented content would.