Central Idea/Supporting Details
What is a synonym for main idea?
Central Idea
Name all 5 text structures
Compare and Contrast, Sequence and Order, Description, Cause and Effect, Problem and Solution
Name 5 examples of text features.
Map, headings, labels, diagram, cut-away, photograph, chart, fun fact
Say an example of a claim that an author could make.
Memorizing poetry is beneficial to students and helps improve their memory.
Plant Life in Antarctica
Antarctica is one of the coldest places on Earth. The continent receives very little rain, and most of it remains covered in ice throughout the year. Due to the hostile climate, plant life is scarce. However, the continent is not entirely barren. Two types of flowering plants—Antarctic hair grass and Antarctic pearlwort—grow in Antarctica. Antarctic hair grass has deep roots, which enable it to take in food and water from the soil. Antarctic pearlwort can grow up to a height of 5 centimeters. It has small yellow flowers and is found in the coastal areas of Antarctica.
Passage 2
Antarctic Hair Grass
Antarctic hair grass is a flowering plant found in the continent of Antarctica. It has long, dark green stems and grows in small tufts among rocks. Antarctic hair grass can grow in freezing cold weather without drying out. It is found near mosses and in cracks between rocks, where the soil is moist and rich. Antarctic hair grass has deep roots that are responsible for the plant's survival. Moist soil and deep roots help this plant take in food easily.
Which statement best integrates the information from both passages?
B. The few plants that grow in Antarctica have special features that help them survive in severe conditions.
Read the passage.
Earth and Mars
Earth is much more welcoming to life than Mars is. Earth's thick atmosphere helps keep the planet warm, with an average temperature of 57°F. In addition, over two-thirds of Earth is covered by water. These conditions make it easy for all kinds of organisms to live here. Mars, on the other hand, has a thin atmosphere and is farther from the sun. Therefore, it is much colder. Mars's average temperature is about -60°F! In addition, the surface of the planet is mostly dry and dusty. Without enough water and warmth, most organisms would struggle to survive on Mars.
What is the central idea of the passage?
A. Earth is better able to support life than Mars is.
B. Earth has a thick atmosphere and a warm temperature.
A. Earth is better able to support life than Mars is.
Read the text.
Different animals are good at guarding in different situations. Some people own dogs to guard their homes. Dogs can bark a warning when strangers (or mail carriers) show up. Dogs usually live well in city homes. But if you're in the country, you might prefer a donkey instead. That's especially true if you have sheep, pigs, or horses to protect. Donkeys can fight off coyotes and wolves better than many dogs. A donkey is easier to care for, too. It can just eat the grass in the pasture with the other animals.
Which text structure does the text use?
Compare and Contrast
In the article, "The Mystery of Roanoke", what does the map on page 7 help you to understand?
The location of Roanoke.
(1) We all have our limits. (2) The sooner we realize this, the better. (3) Unfortunately, we humans cannot do everything we set our mind to. (4) Truth be told, failure is hard to handle when we walk around thinking we can achieve anything.
(5) Singing tryouts are a good example. (6) For some reason, parents do not seem to notice how badly their children sing and encourage them to sing for judges. (7) Then, the judges have to tell them that there is no way they will sing for a living. (8) People are hurt to find out there is nothing super at all about their singing.
(9) Other limits are more cut and dry. (10) To be a military pilot, a person must be at least 5' 4" tall. (11) Pilots cannot be colorblind either. (12) "Military pilot" is not the only job with a required height. (13) Some dance companies require female dancers to be between 5' 6" and 5' 10" tall. (14) Not everyone can be a firefighter either. (15) Firefighters must have excellent hearing, sight, and strength. (16) They also must work well under pressure.
(17) People have their own sets of individual strengths and weaknesses. (18) Discovering these early will help determine exactly what dreams have a chance of coming true.
What is the author trying to show readers in the third paragraph?
D. People have qualities that may keep them from doing certain jobs.
Passage 1
Joe Namath did not create football's Super Bowl. However, he did make it into a great championship game—and it made a legend out of Namath. In Super Bowl III, Namath boasted that his New York Jets would beat the Baltimore Colts. Namath lived up to his word. The Jets beat the Colts 16-7. Namath's performance made him a Super Bowl hero.
Passage 2
There always seemed to be something special about Joe Namath. Joe had many fans. He was very comfortable with being the center of attention. He loved to meet people and talk with them. He was a star on and off the field. His good looks and great arm made him one of the most popular football players of all time.
How are the two passages different (contrast)?
B. Passage 1 is about Joe's Super Bowl win; passage 2 is about his fame.
Read the passage.
Dogs and Wolves
Dogs and wolves are part of the same animal family. Both animals have strong senses of smell and are loyal to their packs. But dogs and wolves are quite different when it comes to people. Dogs are used to living with people and get along well with them. In fact, dogs have been called "man's best friend." Wolves, on the other hand, cannot live with humans. Wolves prefer to live in the wild, where they can hunt for their food. Clearly, dogs belong with people, while wolves do not.
What is the central idea of the passage?
A. Wolves and dogs are members of the same animal family, so they have many things in common.
B. Dogs are better suited to living with people than wolves are.
B. Dogs are better suited to living with people than wolves are.
Read the text.
No doubt you've heard of Dr. Seuss. But there are probably some things you don't know about him. For example, his real name is Theodore Seuss Geisel, and he wrote more than forty books. Also, it took him a lot of tries to sell his books. His first book was And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street. Twenty-seven companies refused to take that story, until finally Vanguard Press accepted it. Here's something you probably know: Dr. Seuss's books are still popular with children and adults.
Which text structure does the text use?
Description
Explain how text features help you to better understand a text. You can use a specific example of a text and text feature in your answer.
Various responses.
(1) Turkeys have been walking the Earth for almost 10 million years. (2) Wild turkeys are not like the ones for sale at grocery stores. (3) Wild turkeys can fly around 55 miles per hour. (4) They even spend their evenings in tree branches. (5) Wild turkeys are thinner and have longer legs than farm-raised turkeys. (6) Wild turkeys can run about 25 miles per hour.
(7) Domestic turkeys are bred by farmers to be larger. (8) In fact, a farm-raised turkey weighs twice as much as a wild turkey. (9) Because of the extra weight, farm-raised turkeys cannot fly far if at all. (10) They cannot run as quickly either because they have shorter legs with lots of weight to carry around.
(11) Although not popularly believed, turkeys are smart. (12) Wild turkeys are rarely caught when hunted by people or other animals. (13) They are definitely smart enough to escape. (14) There is a rumor that turkeys often drown when they look up into the rain. (15) Some turkeys do turn their heads toward the rain. (16) However, Tom Savage, a poultry scientist from Oregon State University, has never seen any drown. (17) He discovered that these turkeys have a nervous condition. (18) It is not an act of stupidity. (19) Farm-raised turkeys are thought to be smart as well. (20) Many believe they are dumb because they try to fly and look funny trying. (21) Their nature causes them to try. (22) However, farmers keep them from doing so by feeding them a lot and breeding them to be large.
Who does the author include as a reliable source?
C. a scientist
Passage 1
Guam is an island. It is in the Pacific Ocean. There are more brown tree snakes in Guam than there are people. There were no brown tree snakes in Guam at all forty years ago. Today, there are more than a million. Nobody knows where they came from. They do not know how to stop them. Many kinds of rare birds are dying out because of the brown tree snake.
Passage 2
Guam is an island in the Pacific Ocean. It is a territory of the United States. Its total area is 209 square miles. The capital is Agana. The island was a part of Spain in 1565. In 1898, the Spanish-American War ended. Spain gave the island to the United States. The people of Guam became U.S. citizens in 1950.
What is one difference between these two passages?
A. Passage 1 talks about the brown tree snakes of Guam; passage 2 talks about the history of Guam.
Look at these details from a paragraph about the same topic:
Soccer players have powerful legs.
Playing soccer keeps your bones healthy.
Soccer players have strong chests and backs.
Choose the main, or central, idea that ties all the details together.
A. Playing soccer helps your heart stay healthy.
B. Lots of sports keep you healthy and strong.
C. Soccer players have strong bodies.
C. Soccer players have strong bodies.
Read the text.
In ancient Egypt, when wealthy or important people died, their bodies were turned into mummies. Making a mummy required first removing most of the organs from inside the body. Next, the organs were allowed to dry and were placed into special jars. The body was then covered with salt to dry out further. Finally, it was wrapped with strips of cloth and placed into a special body-shaped box, or sarcophagus. The body was buried with the jars of organs. Ancient Egyptians believed making mummies allowed people to use their bodies in the afterlife, after death.
Which text structure does the text use?
Sequence and Order
Explain the difference between a glossary, table of contents, and index.
Glossary: Dictionary in a book, define words from the book, found at the end of a text.
Table of Contents: List of major topics/headings at the beginning of the book in a text and the page to find them
Index: List of all the topics in the book and what page to find them, found at the end of a text
(1) Here a snip, there a clip, everywhere snip and clip. (2) Unfortunately, quite a few people whip out fingernail clippers in public and groom themselves like there is no tomorrow.
(3) On occasion, there will be the hangnail that must be dealt with. (4) However, it can be done quickly and quietly over a trash can. (5) There is no need for a full-fledged clipping. (6) Public clipping is gross. (7) This habit is even grosser considering the germs hiding under people's fingernails.
(8) Too many people cannot control or do not care to control where the trimmings end up. (9) Nobody wants to encounter somebody else's clippings.
(10) The only places nails should be clipped are nail salons, bathrooms, and homes. (11) The world is not a garbage can. (12) People need to keep public spaces clean. (13) In turn, people need to respect others who use those spaces.
Which paragraph shows that the author considers the other side of her argument?
C. the second paragraph
Old Faithful
Geysers are naturally occurring holes in the ground, which shoot out hot water and steam with great force. Almost 60 percent of the world's geysers are located at Yellowstone National Park in the United States. Old Faithful is one of the most famous geysers in Yellowstone. It erupts regularly throughout the day. Tourists crowd around to watch the spray of hot water and steam, which can reach a height of 90 to 184 feet.
Passage 2
Yellowstone National Park
Established in 1872, Yellowstone National Park was America's first national park. It is one of the largest parks in the United States. The park covers an area of almost 3,500 square miles. The park extends from Wyoming to some areas of Montana and Idaho. It sits on top of an inactive volcano. There are many hot springs and geysers here. The most famous geyser is called Old Faithful. The park is home to a variety of wild animals such as grizzly bears, wolves, and bison. Millions of tourists visit the park every year.
Which statement best integrates the information from both passages?
B. Yellowstone National Park is located in the United States and has 60 percent of the world's geysers that erupt regulary.
Look at these details from a paragraph about the same topic:
You can mix chocolate chips into cookies.
Chocolate cocoa powder goes into brownies.
You can decorate the top of a cake with chocolate sprinkles.
Write a central idea that ties all these details together.
Different forms of chocolate are used in different desserts.
Read the text.
Thanks to modern technology, we're seeing self-driving cars on the roads. To make self-driving cars possible, engineers had to solve several issues. For example, how could they stop the car from hitting anything? One answer is cameras. Special cameras let the cars "see" traffic lights and "read" road signs. The cars also use lasers, or special light beams. By bouncing these beams of light off the curb, the car can sense where it is on the road. This can also help it avoid crashes.
Which text structure does the text use?
Problem and Solution
From the article, "The Mystery of Roanoke", explain how America has changed over the past 400 years.
Various answers: States instead of colonies, places have English names now, Virginia and North Carolina are separate places.
(1) PE should encourage teamwork and make children's bodies and minds feel good. (2) Unfortunately, many PE classes are less about fitness and sports and more about winning.
(3) The old-fashioned way of choosing teams needs to go. (4) Often, PE teachers choose captains who take turns picking their teams. (5) This embarrasses kids who are picked last.
(6) However, there are much better ways to create teams without hurting anyone's feelings. (7) At the very least, captains should pick students' names in private from a list. (8) This way, nobody knows who is picked first or last. (9) Captains could also choose names from a hat. (10) Some PE teachers let the captains pick a few players that they really want. (11) Then, the teacher chooses the rest. (12) Another way to go is to get rid of captains and let the coaches put fair teams together.
(13) Teamwork needs to be strengthened as well. (14) Many children who are not confident about playing sports do not enjoy PE. (15) They often stand on the sidelines or strike out on purpose to lessen their embarrassment. (16) On the other hand, good players may not get a chance to play because they are unpopular to other team members. (17) However, the sooner students learn how to work with all kinds of people, the better. (18) This includes those they dislike and do not know very well. (19) Sammy Dahl has been a PE coach for 20 years. (20) He says, "Children will soon be adults. (21) They will need to know how to play nicely with others on the job, on the roads, and everywhere in between. (22) PE class is a great place to teach this important life skill."
Which sentence from the passage supports the author's belief that PE class can benefit society?
D. sentence 21
Passage 1
Corn was discovered about 7,000 years ago. Corn looks different today than it did about 7,000 years ago. Native Americans made corn into the way it looks now.
The Native Americans planted kernels of corn into the ground and harvested the corn. Sometimes, they would grind it up into corn meal. Any leftover corn would be stored underground.
When Christopher Columbus landed in the West Indies, the Native Americans gave him corn to take back to Spain. The popularity of this food spread throughout Europe. Years later, Native Americans introduced corn to the settlers in America. They showed them how to use corn to make bread, soup, cakes, and pudding. Corn helped many settlers get through the cold winters.
Passage 2
Corn is used in many products today. Many soft drinks are sweetened with corn syrup. Corn oil is found in the ink used for printing books. Things like glue, shoe polish, and ice cream have corn in them. Corn is also used to make ethanol. Ethanol is used to power cars.
Did you know corn is good for you? It has vitamin C, which keeps you from getting sick. Scientists are trying to find ways to make corn even healthier.
Which statement best integrates the information from both passages?
B. Corn has been grown for a very long time.