Main Idea and Theme
What is another way to describe the main idea?
The main idea is what the passage or reading section is mainly about.
The continuous pounding of the hammers gave me a headache. It seemed like they had been working on the new ramp for days. What does "continuous" mean?
Going on and on/Non-stop/Does not stop
What is the cause?
The reason something happened.
The bear's fur shined black as night. What is this an example of?
A. Alliteration
B. Hyperbole
C. Simile
C. Simile
The girl came back into the house, panting. "I ran as fast as I could, and I yelled for the driver to wait for me! I even dropped my backpack because I was running so fast!" What happened to the girl?
She missed the bus/her ride.
Tigers are a type of cat, but they are very different from house cats. Cats make noises like purring and meowing. Tigers roar very loudly. What is the main idea?
Tigers and cats are different.
The girl had a very distinct way of dressing. She did not dress like the rest of the crowd. What does "distinct" mean?
different/sometimes special/out of the ordinary/eye-catching
What is the effect?
What happened because of the cause.
I've been working like a dog. What type of figurative language is this an example of?
A. Simile
B. Onomatopoeia
C. Personification
A. Simile
Roger heard a noise. His ears perked up. It was a car coming down the street. Roger just had to see who it was. He hoped it was the mail man. He padded through the grass to the fence. Who is Roger?
A dog/pet.
What is the theme of a story?
The lesson, moral, or message the author wants us, the readers, to explore or apply to our own lives.
Our hockey team was far superior than any other team in the league. We had not lost a game yet! What does "superior" mean?
better than others/the best
Lucy was starving before lunch. What could be the cause?
A. She ate too much breakfast.
B. She skipped breakfast.
C. She didn't bring her lunch.
D. She got to school late.
B. She skipped breakfast.
The cat was a shadow when it stalked its prey. What is this sentence an example of?
A. Metaphor
B. Alliteration
C. Onomatopoeia
A. Metaphor
The water felt so good on such a hot day. I heard the other children laughing across the way. The concrete was wet from a group of kids splashing each other. Where am I?
At a pool/splash park.
Shelly has a big math test tomorrow, so she needs to study. She gets out her math book. She finds all of her homework. She is going to do the problems from it for practice. What is the main idea?
Shelly is preparing for a test.
Keep your speech concise to save time. We have many students who need to present their reports. What does "concise" mean?
short/brief/to the point
Ben stayed up late. What could be the effect?
A. His dog woke him up.
B. He didn't eat dinner.
C. He was playing video games.
D. He was tired the next day.
D. He was tired the next day.
A comparison using "like" or "as" is an example of what type of figurative language?
A. Hyperbole
B. Metaphor
C. Simile
C. Simile
It felt wonderful to be outside, even if only for a little while! All the swings were already taken. Casey and I decided to use the monkey bars until the teacher blew her whistle. Where are the kids (two answers)?
At school, at recess, on a playground.
At camp, Sam got a package of cookies from her parents. If she shared with the girls, she would only have 2 cookies left for herself. She did not share her cookies. The girls barely talked to her. What is the theme?
Sharing is nice, and you should try to share. Selfishness leads to being unhappy.
Cheerleaders are a boisterous group. They spend a lot of time jumping and shouting to energize the players and the fans. What does "boisterous" means?
loud/noisy/energetic
Dark clouds appeared in the sky. What could be the effect?
It started raining/storming.
What type of figurative language is the following an example of? The computer in the classroom was an old dinosaur.
A. Alliteration
B. Metaphor
C. Onomatopoeia
B. Metaphor
Alice was carrying a heavy basket of clothes down the stairs to the laundry room. Instead of helping, her brothers had gone outside, but they had left the baseball on the stairs. What may happen (two answers)?
She may trip on the ball, and could get hurt.
OR
Her brothers could come back inside to get it.