Synonyms
Which word is the closest synonym for reluctant: (a) willing (b) hesitant (c) eager?
Answer: hesitant
What is the main idea of this short passage?
"Many students struggle with time management. They procrastinate, leave assignments unfinished, and miss deadlines."
Answer: Students often struggle with time management.
An advertisement says: “Buy this soap and you’ll have perfect skin!” What is the author’s purpose?
Answer: To persuade
What are the three main parts of a paragraph?
Answer: Topic sentence, supporting sentences, concluding sentence.
Last Saturday, Maria and her classmates went on a field trip to the Blue River Nature Park. Their teacher asked them to take notes about the plants and animals they saw. Maria was excited because she loved butterflies. While walking, she noticed a bright yellow butterfly resting on a flower. She quickly wrote it down in her notebook. Later, the group stopped for lunch under a big mango tree. Everyone shared food, laughed, and took pictures. At the end of the day, Maria said it was the best trip she had ever been on.
Where did Maria and her classmates go on Saturday?
Answer: To the Blue River Nature Park.
“Rapid” and “swift” are synonyms. Use one of them in a new sentence.
Answer: (The rabbit made a swift escape.)
Which sentence best expresses the main idea?
(a) “I like to go to the park.”
(b) “The park is a place where families can relax, children can play, and people can exercise.”
(c) “The playground has swings and slides.”
Answer: (b)
A blog post titled “My Trip to the Zoo” describes animals and funny experiences. What is the author’s purpose?
Answer: To entertain (and possibly inform)
Which sentence is the best topic sentence for a paragraph about healthy eating?
(b) “Eating fruits and vegetables every day helps to
➡️ Answer: (b)
Last Saturday, Maria and her classmates went on a field trip to the Blue River Nature Park. Their teacher asked them to take notes about the plants and animals they saw. Maria was excited because she loved butterflies. While walking, she noticed a bright yellow butterfly resting on a flower. She quickly wrote it down in her notebook. Later, the group stopped for lunch under a big mango tree. Everyone shared food, laughed, and took pictures. At the end of the day, Maria said it was the best trip she had ever been on.
Answer: Take notes about the plants and animals they saw.
Replace the underlined word with a stronger synonym: The singer gave a good performance.
Answer: excellent/outstanding
Why is it important to identify the main idea in a passage?
Answer: It helps readers understand the author’s central point and focus on key information.
Sometimes an author can have more than one purpose. Explain how a novel about slavery both could inform and entertain.
Answer: It teaches history while also telling a story for enjoyment.
What would be a good concluding sentence for this paragraph?
"Exams can be stressful. Students often lose sleep, worry constantly, and feel pressured to succeed."
Answer: Therefore, exams are a major source of stress for students.
Why was Maria especially excited about the trip?
Answer: Because she loved butterflies and hoped to see some.
Which of the following has a similar meaning to astonished?
(a) shocked (b) bored (c) tired
Answer: shocked
"Global warming causes rising sea levels, stronger hurricanes, and droughts in many parts of the world."
What is the main idea, and what are the supporting details?
Main idea – Global warming has harmful effects. Supporting details – rising sea levels, stronger hurricanes, droughts.
A politician writes a speech about climate change. Which is more likely the purpose: inform, persuade, or entertain? Justify your answer.
Answer: Persuade — the politician is trying to influence opinions or actions.
Read this paragraph and identify what is missing:
"Rainforests are home to thousands of plant and animal species. They provide oxygen for the earth. They also help regulate the climate."
Answer: A concluding sentence is missing.
What does the lunch under the mango tree suggest about the group’s experience?
Answer: It was fun and relaxing — they enjoyed spending time together.
Which of the following is the BEST synonym for precise?
(a) exact (b) rough (c) careless
Answer: exact
A passage explains how cell phones help students with research, but also distract them from lessons. What is the main idea?
Answer: Cell phones are both helpful and distracting for students.
Which purpose fits best? A magazine article explains how to prevent cyberbullying.
Answer: To inform
Read this paragraph and identify the problem with its structure:
"Jamaica is a beautiful country. The people are friendly. The weather is hot. There are many beaches. I like mangoes."
Answer: The paragraph is off-topic and lacks unity. The sentence about mangoes does not fit the main idea (Jamaica’s beauty).
Do you think Maria enjoyed the trip more because of the butterfly or because of her friends? Explain your answer.
Answer: (Student’s own response, but possible answer: Both — she was happy to see the butterfly she loved and also enjoyed time with friends.)