Main Idea
A Woodcutter was hard at work beside a river. He chopped down a tree and chopped off the branches, one by one. He stacked the small branches in one pile and the large branches in another pile. It was hard work, and he grew tired. By accident, he dropped his axe into the deep river. He sat down on the river bank, and put his head in his hands. The Woodcutter heard a sound in the nearby bushes, He lifted his head and was amazed to see a strange little man dressed all in green. He thought perhaps it was one of the Wood Gnomes of the fairy tales, and he was quite correct. “Why are you so upset?” asked the Wood Gnome. The Woodcutter explained what had happened, and the Wood Gnome walked closer to the bank of the deep river and dived right in headfirst. In moments he climbed out, carrying a golden axe. “Is this your axe, sir?” asked the Wood Gnome. The Woodcutter shook his head with sorrow. The Wood Gnome dived back into the river, and came up with a silver axe. “Is this your axe?” he asked. Again, the woodcutter shook his head, and again the Wood Gnome dived into the river. This time, he came out of the river with the Woodcutter’s own axe, and the Woodcutter shouted out with joy. The Wood Gnome told the Woodcutter that he must keep the gold and silver axes as well as his own, as a reward for his honesty. The Woodcutter went home and told all of his friends what had happened. He showed them the gold and silver axes. The next day, one of those friends went to the place by the river that the Woodcutter had described. He threw his axe into the river, and sat down on the riverbank and buried his head in his bands. The Wood Gnome appeared, and asked him why he was so upset. The Woodcutter’s friend said that he had dropped his axe into the river by mistake, and the Wood Gnome quickly dived into the river, and came up with a golden axe. “Is this your axe?” the Wood Gnome asked, and the man reached for it greedily, saying that it was the very axe he had lost. The Wood Gnome kept the golden axe, and left without going back into the river for the axe that the dishonest man had thrown there on purpose.
What is the main idea of this story?
The woodcutter was rewarded for his honesty.
What does level mean in this paragraph?
Glaciers are huge rivers of ice. They are very powerful. A large glacier can have the strength to level a large city. Fortunately, they move slowly. It can take years for a glacier to move a few inches. So, even if a glacier were ten miles from your house and moving closer, it would not get there for hundreds of years!
What is flatten?
What is a detail from this story which supports the main idea?
A Woodcutter was hard at work beside a river. He chopped down a tree and chopped off the branches, one by one. He stacked the small branches in one pile and the large branches in another pile. It was hard work, and he grew tired. By accident, he dropped his axe into the deep river. He sat down on the river bank, and put his head in his hands. The Woodcutter heard a sound in the nearby bushes, He lifted his head and was amazed to see a strange little man dressed all in green. He thought perhaps it was one of the Wood Gnomes of the fairy tales, and he was quite correct. “Why are you so upset?” asked the Wood Gnome. The Woodcutter explained what had happened, and the Wood Gnome walked closer to the bank of the deep river and dived right in headfirst. In moments he climbed out, carrying a golden axe. “Is this your axe, sir?” asked the Wood Gnome. The Woodcutter shook his head with sorrow. The Wood Gnome dived back into the river, and came up with a silver axe. “Is this your axe?” he asked. Again, the woodcutter shook his head, and again the Wood Gnome dived into the river. This time, he came out of the river with the Woodcutter’s own axe, and the Woodcutter shouted out with joy. The Wood Gnome told the Woodcutter that he must keep the gold and silver axes as well as his own, as a reward for his honesty. The Woodcutter went home and told all of his friends what had happened. He showed them the gold and silver axes. The next day, one of those friends went to the place by the river that the Woodcutter had described. He threw his axe into the river, and sat down on the riverbank and buried his head in his bands. The Wood Gnome appeared, and asked him why he was so upset. The Woodcutter’s friend said that he had dropped his axe into the river by mistake, and the Wood Gnome quickly dived into the river, and came up with a golden axe. “Is this your axe?” the Wood Gnome asked, and the man reached for it greedily, saying that it was the very axe he had lost. The Wood Gnome kept the golden axe, and left without going back into the river for the axe that the dishonest man had thrown there on purpose.
multiple answers
Which word in this paragraph means "very old?"
When you fly over western New York state, you can see a series of long, thin lakes below. You might think they look like fingers. If so, you're not alone. An ancient Native American legend says that the lakes were formed by the hands of the Great Spirit.
What is ancient?
What is another detail from this story that supports the main idea?
A Woodcutter was hard at work beside a river. He chopped down a tree and chopped off the branches, one by one. He stacked the small branches in one pile and the large branches in another pile. It was hard work, and he grew tired. By accident, he dropped his axe into the deep river. He sat down on the river bank, and put his head in his hands. The Woodcutter heard a sound in the nearby bushes, He lifted his head and was amazed to see a strange little man dressed all in green. He thought perhaps it was one of the Wood Gnomes of the fairy tales, and he was quite correct. “Why are you so upset?” asked the Wood Gnome. The Woodcutter explained what had happened, and the Wood Gnome walked closer to the bank of the deep river and dived right in headfirst. In moments he climbed out, carrying a golden axe. “Is this your axe, sir?” asked the Wood Gnome. The Woodcutter shook his head with sorrow. The Wood Gnome dived back into the river, and came up with a silver axe. “Is this your axe?” he asked. Again, the woodcutter shook his head, and again the Wood Gnome dived into the river. This time, he came out of the river with the Woodcutter’s own axe, and the Woodcutter shouted out with joy. The Wood Gnome told the Woodcutter that he must keep the gold and silver axes as well as his own, as a reward for his honesty. The Woodcutter went home and told all of his friends what had happened. He showed them the gold and silver axes. The next day, one of those friends went to the place by the river that the Woodcutter had described. He threw his axe into the river, and sat down on the riverbank and buried his head in his bands. The Wood Gnome appeared, and asked him why he was so upset. The Woodcutter’s friend said that he had dropped his axe into the river by mistake, and the Wood Gnome quickly dived into the river, and came up with a golden axe. “Is this your axe?” the Wood Gnome asked, and the man reached for it greedily, saying that it was the very axe he had lost. The Wood Gnome kept the golden axe, and left without going back into the river for the axe that the dishonest man had thrown there on purpose.
multiple answers
Which word means "not planned ahead of time" in the paragraph?
Most of early African American jazz musicians were poor and had no musical training. They couldn't read music, so they played by ear. But they didn't copy the stiff, formal sounds they heard. Instead, their music was spontaneous. It came from what the musicians were hearing and feeling right then.
What is spontaneous?
An iceberg is a large piece of ice that is formed from fresh water. They are found foating in very cold oceans, seas, or lakes. Icebergs come in many shapes and sizes. Usually, only a small part of the iceberg is visible above the water. From above, it may look like an ice mountain. However, most of the iceberg is hidden underwater.
Icebergs form when large chunks break off of glaciers or ice shelves in very cold regions, like Antarctica. The icebergs travel with ocean currents. When icebergs float into warmer water, they begin to melt and break apart.
What is the main idea of this text?
Information about icebergs
Careful navigation through the mountainous terrain allowed the hikers to get to the summit in a record time.
What does the word navigation mean in this sentence?
What is the act of setting a course for a trip?
An iceberg is a large piece of ice that is formed from fresh water. They are found foating in very cold oceans, seas, or lakes. Icebergs come in many shapes and sizes. Usually, only a small part of the iceberg is visible above the water. From above, it may look like an ice mountain. However, most of the iceberg is hidden underwater.
Icebergs form when large chunks break off of glaciers or ice shelves in very cold regions, like Antarctica. The icebergs travel with ocean currents. When icebergs float into warmer water, they begin to melt and break apart.
What is a detail that supports the main idea?
multiple answers
In following with our family tradition, my mother and I go shopping on Christmas Eve every single year.
What is the meaning of the word tradition in this sentence?
the handing down of a culture's beliefs and customs from parents to children