Main Idea and Details
Genres
Summarizing
Planning and Organizing
Revising
100
Robot Soldiers The United States is using robots to keep soldiers safe. Some robots look like trucks. Some robots are planes that fly without pilots. Robots can do many different jobs. Most of these robots have cameras. They take photos to show soldiers that things are safe. They also check to see if anything is broken under the soldiers' trucks. The flying robots take pictures too. They show what other soldiers are doing. Scientists are working to invent more robots. The new robots will be more helpful to soldiers because they will do more things. In the future, robots may be as small as birds or insects! What is the main idea of this paragraph? A. The robots can take photos of the soldiers' trucks. B. The United States uses robots to keep soldiers safe. C. The new robots will be able to do even more jobs. D. The United States wants to make an army of robots.
What is B. The US uses robots to keep soldiers safe?
100
Playing in the Park I was playing merrily in the park one sunny summer afternoon. The sky was blue; the air was clean, when I saw a pink balloon. I looked just in time to see a girl let loose of her long string. She pointed sadly to the sky and cried, "No more will I sing." She cried and cried as the balloon rose up and up, farther and farther away. Worried, her mother said, "I'm sorry, Jeanette. Why don't you go and play?" Jeanette just shook her head because she knew that her balloon was gone. That's when she looked over to me with a smile and said, "I want to go on!" How can the reader tell this selection is a poem? A. It tells a story. B. It has a setting. C. It has stanzas. D. It is short.
What is C. It has stanzas?
100
Travis leaped off the school bus and jogged through Adams Woods. It was finally Friday! Travis was kicking pinecones and daydreaming about tomorrow's soccer game when he spotted something under a pine tree. It was black and square. Travis had taken the same shortcut this morning to get to the bus stop. He was certain that this black, square thing had not been there seven hours ago. Travis walked slowly to the pine tree. When he bent down, he saw that it was a wallet. He picked it up and brushed it off. It was not very dirty, so Travis figured somebody probably dropped it this afternoon. It must have been a hiker, he thought. Travis looked around. He did not hear or see anyone else. It was too far for Travis to walk to the police station, so he tucked the wallet in his backpack. He would give it to Mom. Then they could drive to the police station and give it to one of the officers. Which is the best way to summarize the passage? A. Travis is walking home from school. He finds a wallet on the ground. He takes it home so he and his mom can bring it to the police station. B. Travis finds a wallet and does not know what to do with it. He tells his mom that he found it. She says that he should return it to its owner. C. A man decides to go on a hike through Adams Woods. He drops his wallet under a tree. Luckily, Travis finds it and gives it back to him. D. On Friday afternoon, Travis daydreams about tomorrow's soccer game. Then he finds a wallet. After that, he forgets all about the game.
What is A?
100
Paul's teacher, Mrs. Irving, wants Paul to write a one-page paper about animals from Africa. She wants him to choose a topic that interests him. Which of the following would be the best topic for Paul's paper? A. the country of Kenya B. animals from the desert C. the food of the Congo D. a lion from West Africa
What is D. A lion from West Africa?
100
(1) I can’t wait until next week. (2) I’m going to get on a huge jet and go all the way to Alaska. (3) It will take about 11 hours to get there. (4) She bought me some new jeans and new shirts to wear on the trip. (5) I heard that in the summer Alaska has only about 4 hours of night time. (6) It’s daylight for about 20 hours. (7) I’m going to ride a train and a boat. (8) I think we’ll see some bears. (9) Only six more days to go! Which sentence can be added to the passage after sentence 3? A. My mom took me to the mall to go shopping yesterday. B. Eleven hours is too long and I might get bored. C. I have never been to Texas and New York in my whole life. D. I am looking forward to riding a plane, a train, and a boat.
What is A.
200
Ready for Anything Being prepared for bad storms is important. A storm can be a hurricane or a flood. When a bad storm comes, you may have to leave in a hurry. A good way to prepare is to keep a GO bag. A GO bag is filled with everything you need. Water, canned food, and a radio are important items to have. A good can opener also comes in handy. Be sure to include a flashlight and some batteries. If you have pets, pack food for them, too. They need food and water just like you. Some people keep a GO bag in different rooms of the house. That way, if the house is damaged, supplies can still be reached. Being ready for trouble is smart. The passage says that people should be ready for bad weather. Which sentence from the passage best supports this idea? A. They need food and water just like you. B. A storm can be a hurricane or a flood. C. Being prepared for bad storms is important. D. A good can opener also comes in handy.
What is C. Being prepared for bad storms is important.
200
His Own Skateboard Mark liked to go skateboarding. He rode up and down hills in his neighborhood. He had been using his brother's old skateboard for two years, but his parents said he could get a new one for his birthday. Mark wanted to design a special skateboard. He looked at pictures of famous skateboarders. He studied their boards to get some good ideas. He wanted his board to be black with flames along both sides of it. In the middle, he wanted the planet Saturn with its beautiful rings. To get that design, he needed to paint his own board. Mark wondered if he could do it. He asked the man in the skateboard store for help. Dave, the skateboard artist, showed him how to draw the pictures he wanted. Then, Mark painted them just as he had imagined them. The finished board was fantastic! It was a great birthday present—one he would always remember. What kind of writing is the passage above? A. fiction B. poetry C. nonfiction D. drama
What is A. Fiction?
200
The mouse nibbled on the stolen cheese quietly. It looked over both of its shoulders every now and then. This place wasn't the safest place to eat, but it was very hungry. Suddenly, the mouse's ears perked up. There was a soft sound of footsteps near him. Then the lights were turned on. All of the lights shined down on the mouse. The mouse held its breath and hugged the cheese tightly to its chest. It was caught! Which is the best summary of this paragraph? A. A mouse loves to eat good cheese. Its ears perk up when it hears footsteps come near it. B. A mouse holds its breath and hugs its cheese. When the lights are off, it runs around freely. C. A mouse eats its cheese in a dangerous place. When the lights are turned on, it is caught. D. A mouse searches for cheese in the dark. When the lights are turned on, it sees the cheese.
What is C?
200
At the gate, the horses and their riders were ready for the race. Their riders were leaning forward, ready for the starting gun. Then, they heard it. Bang! went the starting gun. The horses pushed forward. A dense cloud of dust formed after them. The riders tried to urge their horses on while the horses tried to follow the riders' orders. The horses and the riders raced down the track with great speed. The leader of the race changed at every moment. One horse would lead one second and then another horse would push forward into the lead. It was a very close race. Suddenly, a brown horse from the middle of the pack took the lead. It flew past all the other horses in a full gallop to the finish line. No other horse could catch up with that horse. It won the entire race. What does the writer talk about in the last paragraph? A. riders leaning forward to start the race B. different horses trying to take the lead C. a horse pushing ahead to win the race D. horses trying to follow the riders' orders
What is C?
200
1) There are many kinds of places on Earth. (2) Animals and plants can live in most of these places. (3) The forest is one kind of place. (4) A pond is another kind. (5) These places can be well or healthy. (6) Healthy places do many good things. (7) A healthy pond is a place where the baby frogs and fish can grow. (8) A healthy forest has many homes for plants and animals. (9) Sometimes people do things that hurt these places. (10) Animals lose there homes when people clear the forests. (11) Nature can hurt the places too. (12) Heavy rain can wash away the soil. (13) A good thing is that most of these places can get well again. Which sentence should be added after the last sentence to conclude the passage? A. New plants can regrow from the seeds left by the old pants. B. These places look very beautiful and people can enjoy them. C. Trees help in creating fresh air that helps us to breathe. D. Forests give us many plants that provide medicines.
What is A?
300
Lots of animals make sounds to talk to their own kind. Wolves howl, frogs croak, and dogs bark. Dolphins use one-of-a-kind whistles to identify themselves. It is like how humans have names. Scientists recorded different dolphin whistles. They changed some of the sounds so that they would not be familiar. Then, they played the whistles to 14 dolphins. The dolphins did not react to the changed sounds. When they heard the dolphins they knew, most of them turned to listen. It was like they expected to see their friends! This paragraph is mainly about A. how dolphins have special sounds to identify themselves. B. how scientists are always studying how wolves talk. C. how every single person communicates in a different way. D. how dolphins live in the ocean and swim with whales and fish.
What is A. How dolphins have special sounds to identify themselves.
300
Jane Goodall was born in London, England. Jane loved to learn about animals. She traveled to Africa and studied monkeys. She watched them for many years. Jane wanted to protect the places where monkeys live. She has also written books about monkeys. What is one way the reader can tell that this passage is from a biography and not an autobiography? A. A biography is much shorter than an autobiography. B. The main character went to Africa to help monkeys. C. It uses the word "she" when talking about Jane Goodall. D. It was written about a person who traveled to another country.
What is C. It uses the word "she" when talking about Jane Goodall?
300
A peddler turned his wagon down a well worn road. It was rocky and full of holes. The peddler took a second to see if there was another way around the road. However, it was the only road he could see. The peddler took a deep breath and steered his wagon down the road. He tried to avoid the rocks and the holes, but there were too many. His wagon wheel fell into a wide and deep hole. The wagon was at a complete stop. The peddler was now stuck in the middle of nowhere. Which is the best summary of this paragraph? A. A peddler loses his way on the road. He tries to find a new road but becomes too tired to go on. B. A peddler drives his wagon down a rocky road. The wagon falls into a hole and becomes stuck. C. A peddler finds a new way around a rocky road. He arrives at his home a whole two days early. D. A peddler tries to find a place to sell his goods. He has to cross a rocky road to get to the market.
What is B?
300
Frank is planning to write a story about his first day at his new school. Which three story elements would be best for him to outline first? A. setting B. characters C. solution D. problem E. dialogue
What is A. setting, B. Characters and D. Problem?
300
A Great Weekend (1) Wilma forced herself to get up from bed and get ready. (2) Her mom wanted her to spend the morning at her grandfather's house. (3) Wilma had made plans, and Wilma wanted to go to her friend's house in the morning. (4) Her parents visited Grandpa every weekend. (5) But they were busy that Saturday, so they wanted her to go and spend time with Grandpa instead. (6) She felt sad that she would not be able to go to her friend's house now. (7) She had been looking forward to playing with her friend in the tree house in her backyard. (8) Her mom packed some cookies and cake for Grandpa. (9) Her dad dropped her off at grandfather's house. (10) With a heavy heart, Wilma pressed the doorbell. (11) She knew that time would drag here. (12) Her grandfather opened the door, and a cute white poodle came rushing out to greet her. (13) Wilma was surprised. (14) Her grandfather told her that the dog was called Doodle, and his friend had given it to him. (15) Wilma knew then that she would have some fun now. (16) With a happy smile on her face, Wilma entered the house. Which of the following is the best way to revise sentence 3? A. Wilma had made plans to go to her friend's house in the morning. B. Wilma had made plans in the morning; hence she wanted to go to her friend's house . C. Wilma had made plans by wanting to go to her friend's house in the morning. D. Wilma wanted to go to her friend's house in the morning and so she made plans.
What is A?
400
Coconuts Coconuts are very delicious to eat. Are they fruits or nuts? The name makes people think it might be a nut. Shoppers can find them in grocery stores next to all the fruits. However, the coconut is neither a fruit nor a nut. It is actually a seed. Coconuts grow on tall coconut palm trees. If a coconut has not been picked from the tree, it will drop to the ground. The coconut's hard shell does not crack very easily. Sometimes, a coconut will sit under the tree for months. It might look dry and brown, but something is happening inside the shell. One day, a green shoot will push its way out of the shell. This shoot feeds off the juice and white part of the coconut while sitting under the tree. The baby plant then sprouts out of the shell and becomes a young coconut seedling. Roots start to come out of the shell and pull the plant into the ground. It then begins to grow into a beautiful coconut palm tree. The tree grows taller and taller. After five to seven years, it can make its own coconuts. The coconut palm tree can live 70 to 80 years. Which sentence belongs in the passage above? A. There are many things people can make with coconuts. B. Coconuts are best to buy in stores during October. C. After sitting under a tree, the coconut is ready to grow. D. Most people like to sit under coconut trees for shade.
What is C. After sitting under a tree, the coconut is ready to grow.
400
A. A. Milne Alan Alexander Milne, or A. A. Milne, was an English writer. He was born on January 18, 1882, in London. After completing his studies, he worked as a writer for a magazine. After the birth of his son, Milne began to write stories and poems for children. His children's poems were published in two collections titled When We Were Young and Now We Are Six. However, Milne's greatest success was his two books about a boy and his toy animals. The books were called Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner. In these books, he introduced the character of Winnie the Pooh, who is loved even today. Passage 2 E. B. White Elwyn Brooks White was an American writer. He was born in Mount Vernon, New York. After graduating from Cornell University, he worked as a writer and editor for a magazine. His first children's book, Stuart Little, was published in 1945. It tells the story of a mouse living with a human family in New York City. One day, White saw a spider spinning a web in a barn. This served as an inspiration for his most famous book, Charlotte's Web. The book was published in 1952. It tells the story of a spider named Charlotte and her friendship with a pig named Wilbur. The two passages are similar because they both A. mention when the person was born. B. give information about someone famous. C. talk about famous British writers. D. explain how to write children's stories.
What is B. Give information about someone famous.
400
At Dr. Guster's dental office, there was a fish tank filled with unusual fish. They were bright and colorful. Every day, Tosh, the stray cat, would watch them for hours outside the window. He would flick his striped tail back and forth as he watched the fish swim. Even a slight purr would escape from Tosh when he watched. Everyone that passed by knew he wasn't up to any good. One day, Tosh made his move. The office's door was left open and Tosh entered the office. He jumped onto the tank and gave one mighty swipe into the tank. Which idea is most important to include in a summary of this paragraph? A. Tosh watches the fish outside the office. B. The fish in the tank are bright and colorful. C. Tosh has a striped tail that he likes to flick. D. Everyone knows that Tosh is a bad cat.
What is A?
400
Directions: Choose ALL the correct answers. Brendon is planning to write a report about penguins in the wild. Which three main ideas would be most important to include in his report? A. Penguins are mostly found in the Antarctic region. B. Penguins hunt for krill, fish, and squid in the ocean. C. Penguins are a great attraction in marine parks. D. Penguins are considered cute because of the way they look. E. Penguins live both on land and in water, and they cannot fly.
What is A, B, E?
400
A Great Weekend (1) Wilma forced herself to get up from bed and get ready. (2) Her mom wanted her to spend the morning at her grandfather's house. (3) Wilma had made plans, and Wilma wanted to go to her friend's house in the morning. (4) Her parents visited Grandpa every weekend. (5) But they were busy that Saturday, so they wanted her to go and spend time with Grandpa instead. (6) She felt sad that she would not be able to go to her friend's house now. (7) She had been looking forward to playing with her friend in the tree house in her backyard. (8) Her mom packed some cookies and cake for Grandpa. (9) Her dad dropped her off at grandfather's house. (10) With a heavy heart, Wilma pressed the doorbell. (11) She knew that time would drag here. (12) Her grandfather opened the door, and a cute white poodle came rushing out to greet her. (13) Wilma was surprised. (14) Her grandfather told her that the dog was called Doodle, and his friend had given it to him. (15) Wilma knew then that she would have some fun now. (16) With a happy smile on her face, Wilma entered the house. Which sentence could best follow sentence 14? A. Doodle enjoyed sleeping curled up on her blanket. B. Wilma decided to take Doodle with her to her house. C. Doodle had a soft, white coat, and a cute tail. D. Wilma wanted to meet grandpa's friend.
What is C?
500
Most people agree that exercise is good for the body. Exercise can help people feel good, too. It helps every part of the body. It even helps the mind. Getting enough exercise can make a person happy. It helps people feel more peaceful. It can also make a person feel less tired. Exercise helps some people sleep better. People will sometimes set exercise goals. When they reach their goals, they feel proud. Exercise is very good for the mind. Exercise can help people’s bodies to stay healthy, too. People who exercise usually have less fat. Exercise helps people lose weight. This can help someone stay at a healthy weight. It can also keep people from getting sick. People who exercise have healthier hearts. Exercise can help a person age well. As people get older, they will feel better if they exercise. When women get older, sometimes their bones can get weak. Exercise helps make bones stronger. Exercise is important and helps the body. What is the main idea of the last paragraph? A. Exercise is good for the mind and body in different ways. B. Exercise can help keep people from getting sick. C. Exercise can help people age better when they get older. D. Exercise can help keep someone's body at a healthy weight.
What is C?
500
Almost all animals fall into one of two groups. Adult vertebrates have a spinal column, or backbone, running the length of the body; invertebrates do not. Vertebrates are often larger and have more complex bodies than invertebrates. However, there are many more invertebrates than vertebrates. The passage above is from a school science book. What type of writing is usually found in your science textbooks? A. autobiography B. fiction C. nonfiction D. poetry
What is C. nonficiton?
500
The desert heat made Trey thirstier than he had ever known. The sun pounded down on Trey as he walked on the sand. He had been lost for two days. He knew he shouldn't be walking during the daytime, but he needed to find water. Trey walked heavily and breathed hard. His entire body ached from hunger and thirst. He needed to find water quickly. There, in the distance, Trey could see glistening water and palms trees. He had found it. Trey ran all the way there. Which idea is most important to include in a summary of this paragraph? A. "Trey ran all the way there." B. "He knew he shouldn't be walking…." C. "The sun pounded down on Trey…." D. "…he needed to find water."
What is D?
500
opic: ________ lets students relax helps students get in shape gives students a break from studying hard afternoon breath of fresh air outside monkey bars tag soccer basketball running playing talking making friends What would be a good topic that all these details list? A. School B. Math class C. Playing on a team D. Recess
What is D. recess?
500
(1) Martha is a small woman. (2) Peaches is a small dog. (3) Both have straight, blonde hair and wear big smiles. (4) In 2004, the University of California San Diego proved that caregivers often choose purebred dogs that look like themselves. (5) Mixed breeds did not have the same results. (6) It is no surprise that look-alike contests are held worldwide. (7) Some caregivers take things a step further by dressing up their pets or dying their dogs' hair for these events. Which sentence can be added to the passage after sentence 3? A. Dogs are known to be man’s best friend. B. It takes great efforts to take care of a dog. C. People often dye their hair to make it look like their dog's hair. D. Dogs and caregivers who look similar is not a strange thing.
What is D?
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