Central Idea
Theme
Info Inferences
Lit Inferences
Info Writing
100
In what type of text do we find a central idea? What is a central idea?
What is an informational text. What is a central idea is the idea the text is centered around.
100
King Midas wants more and more gold and is finally granted his wish: Everything he touches will turn to gold. The Midas touch! He is ecstatic, as even the flowers become gold under his powerful touch. Unfortunately, when King Midas touches his daughter, she turns into a gold statue, and it is at that moment he realizes that all the gold in the world does not compare to his daughter or her love. What is the central theme of this passage?
What is be careful what you wish for, it may come true!
100
The International Olympic Committee, IOC, is the governing body of the Olympics. The IOC ensures that the games are played fairly. The committee requires athletes to undergo tests to make sure that no one has an unfair advantage. One athlete from the U.S. was not allowed to compete in the 2006 Winter Olympics because he was using a drug. The athlete was taking the legal drug to prevent hair loss. At the 2010 Winter Olympics, a Japanese woman was banned from participating in the luge. She was not allowed to compete because her equipment weighed 13.3 kg. The allowed weight was 13.1 kg. The weight difference was less than half a pound. Neither of these athletes intentionally tried to gain an unfair advantage. The punishments for these accidental mistakes may seem harsh. Nevertheless, the IOC enforced the rules that were set in place. What detail from the paragraph supports the inference: The International Olympic Committee is very strict.
What is "The punishments for these accidental mistakes may seem harsh."
100
Chip grabbed a bagel on his way out the door. "See you this afternoon," he yelled to his dad, who was getting ready to go to work. "Got everything you need?" his dad asked. "Yep, it's all in here," Chip said, pointing to his backpack. "Good luck on that English test," his dad said. "I'll need it!" What detail supports the inference that Chip is going to school?
What is "'Good luck on that English test,' his dad said."
100
What are the three elements in an introduction?
What are a background statement, a topic sentence and a preview statement.
200
During World War I, many soldiers died because their wounds became infected. Antibiotics had not been discovered at that time. During World War II, many more soldiers died while in combat. Antibiotics are used to treat infections because they kill bacteria in the body. They are easily the most widely prescribed drug in the world. Which statement best supports the central idea of the passage? A. Antibiotics are used to treat infections. B. More World War II soldiers died while in combat. C. There were no antibiotics in World War I. D. Many World War I soldiers died from infections.
What is A.
200
In the Harry Potter books, Harry fights for good in the world of wizards. He and his friends must face many foes—human, animal, and magical. But by the end of each book, Harry always seems to have the upper hand. What is one of the major recurring themes of the Harry Potter books?
What is persistance pays off, always carry on.
200
It's no surprise that exercise enhances energy. The physical challenge primes your body. Blood sugar is more readily converted to fuel. Greater amounts of oxygen are supplied to your cells. Fight-or-flight hormones are released. Instead of leaving you depleted, exercise invigorates. One way to get the body going is an early morning or late afternoon exercise routine. It's perfect for a pick-me-up. What detail from the paragraph best supports the inference: The author probably exercises to enhance his/her energy level.
What is "It's perfect for a pick-me-up."
200
Back before I got to the age at which a person begins to develop the need to be "cool," my mom made all the clothes I wore. When I was in elementary school, I thought that the fact that she made my clothes was pretty neat. I liked having clothes that nobody else owned, and I liked being able to choose how my clothes looked. I'd walk into a fabric store, choose the patterns for the style and cut of the pants and shirts I wanted, then choose the fabric out of which my mom would make the pants and shirts. One day, I decided that I no longer wanted to wear homemade clothes. I informed my mom of my decision, and even though she had been making my clothes for years, all she said was, "Okay! When would you like to go shopping?" She was not upset by the fact that I had decided all of a sudden to change what had by then become a tradition. She was not insulted by the fact that I chose clothes that were mass-produced by strangers over the clothes that she made especially for me. We went shopping for my new clothes that evening. The clothes at the stores we shopped at came in fewer colors and styles than the clothes my mom made, but I didn't care. I was happy to be making my own decisions. I didn't care about anything else. The idea that limited choices might be a bad thing never crossed my mind. I've never had another shopping experience like that. Now, when I buy clothes, I'm never happy with how the clothes look, but I buy them anyway. When I try the clothes on, I'm reminded that the clothes I buy never fit as well as the clothes my mom made for me. When I walk outside, I see that I'm wearing the same thing as everybody else. What details supports the inference that the author prefers homemade clothes over store-bought clothes.
What is "I liked having clothes that nobody else owned, and I liked being able to choose how my clothes looked."
200
What are the Super Six topic sentence categories?
What are simple declarative, question, number, situation stance, F.A.N.B.O.Y.S. and semicolon.
300
In 1972, five men broke into offices of the Democratic Party in Washington, D.C. Members of the media and Congress connected the burglary to members of President Nixon's reelection campaign. Nixon and his staff denied the accusations and committed illegal acts to hide the truth. As the House of Representatives debated impeaching Nixon, he resigned in disgrace rather than face a vote of impeachment. This episode will forever be known as the Watergate scandal; named after the office building that was burglarized. What is the topic of this paragraph?
What is the Watergate scandal.
300
Many stories deal with the recurring theme that it is important to be yourself, not to try to be someone you are not. Which of the following stories uses this same theme? W. A fire-breathing dragon is about to wipe out a mountain town, but Wilford the Wise arrives just in time and tricks the dragon into thinking the townspeople are demons. The dragon runs away scared and never comes back. X. A young man falls asleep for 100 years, and when he wakes up, he cannot find his home. His mother has been searching through time to find her son, and at last she finds him. Y. A poor boy, Jonathan, switches places with a rich boy, Jacob, who looks just like him. They each learn about each other's lives and decide they want their old lives back. Z. A miserly old king won't give his daughters any of his treasures until they prove that they're virtuous. Each daughter goes out into the world to prove this, except for the youngest daughter, Lilith, who stays and takes care of her old father. Lilith is the one the king rewards with all his riches, which she decides to share equally with her sisters. A. Story X B. Story Z C. Story Y D. Story W
What is C.
300
The Federal Aviation Administration (F.A.A.) has announced a 10-year, $11 billion plan to modernize the air travel system and reduce snarl. The plan is great as far as it goes. It is a mixture of dozens of improvements to be made over time. Many are already working on a trial basis, and each will do a little good. For instance, a new runway at a busy airport can add 1 percent to overall airline traffic capacity. The F.A.A. proposes building new runways at 15 busy airports. Together it says its measures should add 30 percent to total system capacity by 2010. What text evidence can be used to support the inference that the author thinks the F.A.A. is doing the right thing?
What is "The plan is great as far as it goes. It is a mixture of dozens of improvements to be made over time."
300
The Caribbean sun looked brilliant in the perfect light-blue sky. The wind blew softly as the waves lapped at the shore. The soft sand was just the right temperature as it slipped through my toes. As I lay on my blanket, I exhaled and turned another page. Today couldn’t be any more perfect. In fact, everything with this trip had gone so well. I had never been out of the country before, much less on a plane. However, I got my passport without any hitches, and I didn’t get motion sickness on the flight. The resort limo was at the airport waiting to whisk me away. Lying here on a tropical beach with a glass of ice-cold water in one hand and my favorite novel in the other is my idea of a getaway. Just then, a seagull swooped down and disturbed my serenity. The bird grabbed my book right out of my hands and took off. I chased it as far as I could before the seagull dropped my beloved paperback into the deep blue sea. All I could do was sigh. I knew this day was too good to be true! Which detail best supports the inference that the narrator is in the Caribbean for her first trip out of the country.
What is "I had never been out of the country before, much less on a plane."
300
Rephrase the following topic sentence for a conclusion: "To be a successful student, one must participate in class, complete all work and study for exams."
What is "Participating in class, completing all work and studying for exams are traits of a successful student."
400
The art of training and cutting plants and trees into ornamental shapes is called topiary work. This art dates back to the days of the Romans. They enjoyed training plants to grow in geometric shapes and, later on, created animal designs and designs that resembled furniture. The Romans were also a dominant empire during their time. Because of topiary work, the Romans had many beautiful gardens. What is the central idea of this paragraph?
What is topiary work dates back to the Romans.
400
Name three examples of how the theme "you must be strong to be successful" develops in the story of "Cub Pilot on the Mississippi."
What are enduring the pilots insults, admitting to the captain that the pilot had not heard the command and fighting the pilot.
400
One of the smallest states, Hawaii has a total area of around 6,459 square miles nearly all of which is accounted for by eight main islands: Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Oahu, Kauai, Niihau, and Kahoolawe. Many of the islands are the exposed peaks and submerged mountains of a chain of lava dome volcanoes. The state's two main active volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Kilauea, both on the island of Hawaii, erupt occasionally on a small scale, usually accompanied by minor earthquakes. What detail supports the inference that: The landscape in Hawaii has many varied elevation levels.
What is "Many of the islands are the exposed peaks and submerged mountains of a chain of lava dome volcanoes."
400
The last time I saw it, the Coburn house on Hickory Street had gotten old, just like its owner. It had once been grand, again, like its owner. Mrs. Coburn had lived there for more than 50 years, and when her husband was alive, there had been many parties there. The Coburn place was the center of the Piedmont neighborhood, and Piedmont was the best neighborhood in town. Everybody knew that. In the summer we would play on their big lawn till late, and not once did anyone come and shoo us away. But the city grew beyond Piedmont. The newer houses in the suburbs were bigger, and they had modern appliances as well as central air and heat. Who wouldn’t want all that? Evidently, not Mrs. Coburn. She stayed on Hickory Street, even after the other houses had been chopped up into tiny apartments for day laborers. Her kids tried to get her to move, but she wouldn’t. I used to pass by her house on my way to and from work, and I stopped a few times. Walking up the sidewalk, I remembered how big that house felt when I was a child. On one of my visits I asked Mrs. Coburn why she stayed, and she didn’t think about it for a second before she answered, “This is where I belong on this earth. I wouldn’t feel right somewhere else.” What detail supports the inference that the author has fond memories about his old neighborhood?
What is "In the summer we would play on their big lawn till late, and not once did anyone come and shoo us away."
400
What are the three components of analyzing a prompt.
What are topic, audience and key words.
500
Some people think that listening to country music is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Others would much rather jam out to hip-hop or rap music. And, of course, there will always be those who think rock music is king. Even though most people have the opportunity to listen to many types of music, they usually end up with a favorite. No one knows exactly why people have particular music tastes. Of course, the environment has something to do with it. If a girl’s big brother loves hip-hop, then she will often hear it. She may end up liking it, or she may end up hating it. People often say, “There is just no arguing taste.” In the case of music, this is definitely true. What detail from the paragraph supports the central idea that no one knows what causes a person's musical tastes?
What is "She may end up liking it, or she may end up hating it."
500
How are the theme and subject of a story related?
What is the theme is the writer's view of the subject.
500
The turkey is one of the most famous birds in North America. In fact, Benjamin Franklin wanted to make the wild turkey, not the Bald Eagle, the national bird of the United States! The turkey's popularity comes from the American people's love of eating the bird for special occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas. The wild turkey we usually see in photos or pictures is not the same as the domestic turkey that many Americans serve at Thanksgiving. Domestic or tame turkeys weigh twice what a wild turkey does and are raised on farms for profit. Most domestic turkeys are so heavy they are unable to fly. Wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) live in woods in parts of North America and are the largest game birds found in this part of the world. They spend their days foraging for food like acorns, seeds, small insects and wild berries. They spend their nights in low branches of trees. What detail from the passage supports that Benjamin Franklin had great respect for the wild turkey?
What is "In fact, Benjamin Franklin wanted to make the wild turkey, not the Bald Eagle, the national bird of the United States!"
500
Belinda was delighted when her father drove past his favorite burger joint at lunch. At last he’s getting the message about how his diet affects his health, she thought. But just a few minutes later, she was disappointed when he used his cell phone to order a pepperoni pizza to be delivered soon after they got home. Which detail from the passage supports the inference that Belinda thinks her father's diet is not healthy?
What is "At last he’s getting the message about how his diet affects his health, she thought."
500
What are the three elements that should be included in a conclusion.
What are rephrased topic sentence, signal word and come full circle.
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