8. A
Question Type: Synthesis (1-3, 6-8, 13-19, 31-33, 54-59)
Main point questions require us to synthesize information from different parts of the passage. Only when test-writers are in atypically generous moods do we see main points delivered in a single sentence. The best approach for these questions is to eliminate answers that either contradict our scale or do not entail the complete scale. We can confirm our answer with our scale. Here, one side of our scale tells us digital technology has created problems for the modern archivist, and the other tells us even digital solutions pose new problems. Further, we recall the great irony that the more information we have, the harder it becomes to preserve. (A) represents this information beautifully.
Further, even if we missed the scale, we could approach this question by combining our understanding of each individual paragraph. Here, the first paragraph introduces the modern archival problem of more information and less durability, and the rest of the passage discusses challenges faced by modern archivist. These ideas are well-represented by (A).
(B) This answer is contradicted by the passage. Lines 56-59 state the volume of records makes it "virtually impossible for archivists to sort the essential from the dispensable."
(C) This choice might seem attractive, because the passage decries the quick mortality rate of electronic storage media (e.g. at lines 23-26, 31-33). However, the "belief" of archivists is out of scope. We have no information about whether archivists believe conventional methods will endure longer than electronic methods. Lines 33-35 tell us some archivists are reluctant to become dependant on new technology, but that’s a far cry from deciding conventional storage methods are more enduring.
(D) This is too narrow in scope and is unsupported by the passage. The final paragraph says archivists need to save documents they believe valuable, but this is not the main thrust of the passage. Moreover, the reason archivists need to make these value judgments has nothing to do with storage capacity limitations.
(E) This answer is contradicted by almost every part of the passage. Just as an example, Line 58 points out the task of sorting and then recording even valued information is "virtually impossible."