Main idea and summary
Name the main idea of this paragraph.
A small garden behind the school has bright tulips every spring. Students water the plants, pull weeds, and count how many flowers open each week. The garden helps the class learn about plants and brings color to the playground.
what is the school garden has bright tulips each spring and helps students learn while beautifying the playground?
tell me what can you conclude about the following passage.
The morning sky was gray and the sidewalk was wet. Jamie carried a towel to clean his shoes when he entered the school.
What is it rained (or had been raining) that morning?
How does Sam's actions help the plot?
Sam practiced piano every afternoon after school for thirty minutes. He learned the new piece more quickly and felt ready for the recital.
Practicing piano daily leads Sam to learn the new piece and be ready for the recital, moving the story from practice to performance.
How does repetition reinforce the poem's central theme?
We keep the light when night comes down,
A lantern passed from hand to hand;
On porches, doorsteps, all around,
We stand together, close and planned.
We keep the light.
We keep the light when storms arrive,
When wind will howl and branches fight;
We braid our courage, stay alive,
And whisper comfort through the night.
We keep the light.
We keep the light when fear is near,
When shadows stretch and voices doubt;
A neighbor's smile will draw us near,
A quiet word will carry out.
We keep the light.
We keep the light for those who roam,
For travelers lost and children small;
A simple flame can guide them home,
A steady glow that warms us all.
We keep the light.
We keep the light as seasons turn,
As years move on and faces change;
The lamp is passed so all may learn
That kindness lives within our range.
We keep the light.
Repeating “We keep the light” reinforces the poem’s central theme of togetherness/resilience or holding onto hope.
name one similarity and one difference.
Eyewitness 1: “The parade was lively and the bands played loudly.” Eyewitness 2: “It felt too crowded to move and I missed the floats.”
One similarity: both observers describe the parade happening and note crowd/energy.
One difference: one calls it “lively” (positive), the other “too crowded” (negative/more negative experience).
Name the central idea in this passage.
For many years, the town fair set up rides and booths near the river. Organizers decided to add a new reading tent where volunteers read stories to young children. Families began visiting the fair earlier so kids could hear the stories, and attendance at the tent grew each year.
What is the fair added a reading tent where volunteers read to children, which increased families’ early attendance and grown the tent’s popularity?
Write what you can infer about the passage.
No one sat in Maya’s usual desk. During class, Eric kept looking at the empty seat and tracing circles on his notebook without speaking.
What is the missing student’s absence is on the mind of classmates; Eric may be worried or misses the student or the missing student is important to him?
How does the event change their relationship?
Jessie and Lena argued after school about who would use the art supplies. The next day Jessie brought two brushes and placed them on the table with a note that said, “I’m sorry.” Lena smiled and started painting.
Jessie’s apology (bringing brushes and note) repairs the friendship; Lena smiles and begins painting—relationship improved.
How does the flashback effect the text?
When I was nine, the lake looked endless from the dock. The sunlight made thin silver paths across the water, and my cousins dared me to jump from the highest board. I remember the air smelled like sunblock and cut grass, and somewhere a dog barked and children laughed. I climbed up, my heart thudding loudly enough that I thought everyone could hear it. I stood at the edge, toes curled over the wood, and then I slipped.
For a moment everything slowed. The world narrowed to the cold shock of water closing over my head. I kicked and clawed, lungs burning, until a strong arm hauled me up beneath the surface. I coughed and tasted lake water and dirt and someone’s sweet bread. My cousin held me close, whispering my name until I could breathe on my own. After that day, the lake stopped looking endless and began to feel like a place that could surprise me.
Years later, when my class planned to take swimming lessons at the community center, I felt a tightness in my chest at the thought. The memory came back before I even saw the water: the silk-bright sunlight, the cool shock, my cousin’s arm around me. I watched the others pull on goggles and jump in with easy grins, and I stayed near the shallow end, toes curled under the lip of the pool like I had once curled on the dock.
The flashback explains the character’s fear of water, giving reader background that makes later avoidance understandable and deepens characterization.
How does word choice show different points of view?
Report A: “The board’s new plan will reform the schedule to help students.” Report B: “The board announced cutbacks to after‑school activities that will reduce options.”
“reform” implies improvement and positive change; “cutbacks” implies loss and negative impact.
Write a short objective summary (2-3 sentences) about the passage.
Maya started a weekend program where neighbors shared tools and helped one another fix broken things. At first three families joined. After a year, more people came because they saved money and learned new skills. The program now meets every Saturday at the community center.
What is Maya started a weekend tool-sharing program that began with three families. Over a year it expanded because people saved money and learned skills, and it now meets each Saturday at the community center?
Name what you can infer about the passage.
Store windows were blanketed with notices that said “Closed Early.” Streetlamps lit the quiet streets by midafternoon, and bakery ovens were turned off. Only a few cars moved slowly down the main road.
What is the town closed early for a holiday or an emergency, causing quiet streets?
How do the events develop character and push plot?
At first, Miguel tried to build a kite using paper and tape but it fell apart. He tried again with stronger fabric and the frame broke in the wind. On his third attempt, he used both new materials and careful knots, and the kite flew high.
Repeated failures show persistence and learning; on third attempt Miguel uses improved materials/knots and succeeds—shows growth and leads to resolution (flying kite).
How does alternating structure develop theme:
The story switches between the present day, where Nora organizes a festival, and her diary entries from years before when she was shy. The diary notes explain why she now plans events confidently.
Present-day festival planning shows confidence; diary entries show past shyness—contrast demonstrates theme of growth and change.
How differences change portrayal:
Memoir A: “I remember playing marbles in the yard and laughing with friends.” Memoir B: “I recall my parents worrying about money while I played because they often argued at night.”
Memoir A focuses on play and fun, showing carefree childhood; Memoir B mentions parental worry, adding an undercurrent of financial stress—together they show that outward play can hide family concerns.
Name the central idea of the passage.
Recycling centers sort paper, plastic, glass, and metal into separate bins. Workers check for items that should not be recycled and remove them. Sorting makes it easier to clean and process materials so they can be turned into new products. Because materials are separated, recycling is more efficient and creates less waste.
What is recycling centers sort different materials to make cleaning and processing easier so materials can be reused; sorting increases efficiency and reduces waste?
What can you infer about this passage?
Boxes were stacked in the hallway. The family measured a truck twice, labeled furniture with colored tape, and folded clothes into suitcases. Their dog slept in an open crate with a name tag attached.
What is the family is moving to a new home (moving house)?
How do character changes over plot?
Lena often kept her toys to herself and refused to share. When a new student arrived, Lena watched the student struggle alone during recess. After that, Lena offered to play and slowly learned to enjoy games with others. By the end of the story, she planned a group game that included everyone.
Lena moves from selfish to inclusive—after seeing new student struggle, she offers to play and eventually organizes a group game that includes everyone.
How does the shopkeeper chapter effect the theme or setting?
One chapter switches to the viewpoint of a shopkeeper who watches the village change over decades. This chapter focuses on small daily details others ignore and explains how the town’s mood shifted as new families moved in.
The minor-character chapter adds historical perspective and details that show the village’s mood shifting with new families—this deepens theme of change over time.
How does each point of view shape how you understand one event?
Historian A: “The general’s strategy used a flanking maneuver that won the day.” Historian B: “Civilians in nearby towns suffered shortages because the battle closed roads and farms.”
Historian A emphasizes military strategy and victory; Historian B emphasizes civilian suffering and shortages; together they provide both tactical and human effects.
Name the main idea and give a short summery of the passage:
A scientist invented a tiny device to measure water quality in rivers. It helped farmers know when irrigation water was safe, reducing crop loss. Later, factories used the device to monitor runoff, which lowered pollution. However, some towns began relying on the device instead of testing water in a lab, and occasional sensor errors caused delayed responses to real problems.
What is the device measured river water quality, helped farmers and factories reduce problems, but overreliance on the sensor led to issues when the sensors erred?
Tell me what you can infer about this passage.
A report said the city must cut spending next year. One official said, “We must protect essential services,” while another replied, “We cannot afford every program.” Meetings about budget choices were scheduled for next week.
What is community services will likely be reduced or face cuts; budget cuts will force difficult choices and may threaten some programs?
How does plot lead to the protagonist’s final choice?
In the play’s last scene, the leader chooses to forgive an opponent instead of seeking revenge. Earlier scenes showed the leader ignoring advice, making risky plans, and then helping friends when danger arrived. Each choice created conflicts and lessons that led to the final, peaceful decision.
Earlier choices (ignoring advice, risky plans, helping friends) create conflicts and learning moments that culminate in forgiving opponent rather than revenge; show cause-effect across acts.
How does each paragraph contribute to the overall essay?
Many school cafeterias throw away large amounts of uneaten food each day. Students often discard full milk cartons, untouched fruits, and uneaten hot lunches. This waste raises costs for schools, creates unnecessary trash, and sends the message that food is not valued. Left unchecked, food waste also contributes to environmental problems because uneaten food ends up in landfills where it produces greenhouse gases.
One effective solution is to change how lunch is served. Schools can offer a “share table” where unopened, healthy items—like whole fruits, packaged milk, or sealed snacks—are placed for other students to take. This reduces waste and helps students who forgot a lunch or are still hungry. Another approach is to improve menu planning: offering smaller portion sizes or allowing students to choose certain items (for example, selecting either a fruit or a vegetable each day) can lower the chance that students receive food they will not eat. Finally, education matters: short lessons about food waste, composting, and the environmental impact of trash can encourage students to make different choices.
Some people worry that a share table is unsafe because of food allergies or concerns about food handling. To address this, schools can set clear rules: only prepackaged and unopened items may be placed on the table, staff monitor the table during lunch, and allergen-free zones are clearly labeled. Others say smaller portions might leave some students hungry. Schools can respond by offering a second, small portion option for students who need more food or by ensuring that the share table and healthy a la carte options are available.
Several schools that tried these ideas saw measurable changes. At one middle school, offering a share table and teaching two short lessons about waste reduced the cafeteria’s garbage by nearly 20% in one month. Another district adjusted portion sizes and started a voluntary “second-helping” system; after one semester, they reported saving thousands of dollars in food costs while maintaining student satisfaction with meals. A school that added composting bins and partnered with a local garden used food scraps to enrich soil, creating a hands-on lesson for students about sustainability.
Reducing student food waste requires a mix of practical changes and clear rules. Share tables, smarter portion control, and classroom lessons all contribute to less waste and lower costs. When schools address safety concerns and give students alternatives, these solutions can succeed. Over time, small changes in cafeteria routines can lead to big benefits for the school budget, the environment, and students’ understanding of how everyday choices matter.
The problem–solution essay uses one paragraph with suggestions, another addressing objections, and final showing evidence—each section builds the argument
Analyze the similarities and differences:
Account 1: “We joined the protest because we wanted better public parks; everyone sang and cheered together.” Account 2: “I came because I was angry about a council vote; people were tense and I saw heated arguments.”
Similarity — both describe a protest and participants’ motivations. Differences — Account 1 emphasizes positive community spirit and parks; Account 2 emphasizes anger, tense atmosphere, and reactions to council vote. Explain how tone and specific details (singing/cheering vs. heated arguments/anger) produce different impression