Main Idea
Dogs make great pets. They can be playful, loyal, and protective. Many families enjoy having dogs because they bring joy and companionship.
What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Dogs need food and water
B. Dogs are fun and helpful pets
C. Dogs can bark loudly
D. Dogs like to run outside
B. Dogs are fun and helpful pets
Lena was exhausted after running in the race. She sat down to rest.
Question:
What does exhausted mean?
A. Excited
B. Very tired
C. Hungry
D. Happy
B. Very tired
Bees are important because they help plants grow by spreading pollen. Without bees, many plants would not survive.
Question:
Why did the author write this passage?
A. To entertain
B. To explain why bees are important
C. To tell a story about bees
D. To give directions
B. To explain why bees are important
A book about sharks has a table of contents that lists chapters like “Types of Sharks” and “Where Sharks Live.”
Question:
What does the table of contents help the reader do?
A. Understand word meanings
B. Find topics in the book
C. See pictures of sharks
D. Learn how sharks swim
B. Find topics in the book
First, Mia packed her bag. Next, she got on the bus. Then, she arrived at school.
Question:
What text structure is used?
A. Cause and effect
B. Compare and contrast
C. Sequence/chronological order
D. Problem and solution
C. Sequence/chronological order
Passage:
Plants need sunlight, water, and air to grow. Without these things, they cannot survive. Gardeners take care of plants to help them stay healthy.
Question:
What is the main idea?
A. Gardeners like plants
B. Plants grow in gardens
C. Plants need certain things to live
D. Plants are green
C. Plants need certain things to live
The puppy was eager to play and wagged its tail quickly.
Question:
What does eager mean?
A. Not interested
B. Sleepy
C. Ready and excited
D. Angry
C. Ready and excited
Last weekend, I went to the beach. I built a sandcastle and swam in the ocean. It was so much fun!
Question:
What is the author’s purpose?
A. To inform
B. To persuade
C. To entertain
D. To explain
C. To entertain
A science article includes a diagram showing parts of a plant with labels like “roots,” “stem,” and “leaves.”
Question:
What is the purpose of the diagram?
A. To tell a story
B. To show what the plant looks like and name its parts
C. To make the text longer
D. To confuse the reader
B. To show what the plant looks like and name its parts
It rained all night, so the playground was muddy. As a result, the students had to stay inside for recess.
Question:
What text structure is used?
A. Cause and effect
B. Description
C. Sequence
D. Compare and contrast
A. Cause and effect
Frogs begin life as eggs in water. They hatch into tadpoles, which have tails and live in water. As they grow, they develop legs and lungs and become adult frogs.
Question:
What is the main idea?
A. Frogs live in ponds
B. Tadpoles have tails
C. Frogs change as they grow
D. Frogs eat insects
C. Frogs change as they grow
The glass was fragile, so Mia carried it carefully to avoid breaking it.
Question:
What does fragile mean?
A. Heavy
B. Easy to break
C. Expensive
D. Shiny
B. Easy to break
Wearing a helmet when riding a bike can protect your head and prevent serious injuries.
Question:
What is the author’s purpose?
A. To entertain
B. To persuade
C. To explain how to ride a bike
D. To tell a story
B. To persuade
A nonfiction book includes a glossary with definitions of words like “habitat” and “predator.”
Question:
How does the glossary help the reader?
A. It tells a story
B. It explains difficult words
C. It shows pictures
D. It lists chapters
B. It explains difficult words
Dogs and cats are both popular pets. Dogs often need more exercise, while cats are usually more independent.
Question:
What text structure is used?
A. Cause and effect
B. Compare and contrast
C. Sequence
D. Problem and solution
B. Compare and contrast
Recycling helps reduce waste. It saves energy and keeps trash out of landfills. Many communities encourage people to recycle paper, plastic, and glass.
Question:
Which sentence BEST states the main idea?
A. Recycling uses paper and plastic
B. Recycling is helpful for the environment
C. Landfills are full
D. Glass can be reused
B. Recycling is helpful for the environment
The desert is a harsh place where very little rain falls and few plants grow.
Question:
What does harsh mean in this passage?
A. Calm and peaceful
B. Difficult to live in
C. Cold and snowy
D. Full of animals
B. Difficult to live in
Penguins are birds that cannot fly. They live in cold places and are excellent swimmers.
Question:
What is the author’s purpose?
A. To inform
B. To persuade
C. To entertain
D. To describe a problem
A. To inform
An article includes bold words and headings such as “Life Cycle” and “Diet.”
Question:
Why are headings useful?
A. They make the text longer
B. They help organize information
C. They tell jokes
D. They replace the story
B. They help organize information
Tom forgot his lunch at home, so he felt hungry during the day. Luckily, his friend shared some food with him.
Question:
Which structure BEST fits this passage?
A. Compare and contrast
B. Cause and effect
C. Sequence
D. Description
B. Cause and effect
Some animals migrate to find food and warmer weather. Birds often fly south for the winter, while whales travel long distances in the ocean. Migration helps animals survive.
Question:
Which detail BEST supports the main idea?
A. Animals have different colors
B. Birds build nests
C. Birds fly south for winter
D. Whales swim fast
C. Birds fly south for winter
After practicing every day, Luis improved his skills and became confident in his abilities.
Question:
What does confident MOST nearly mean?
A. Unsure
B. Proud and sure of himself
C. Angry
D. Careless
B. Proud and sure of himself
You should visit the zoo this weekend! You can see amazing animals and learn new things.
Question:
Which detail shows the author is trying to persuade?
A. “visit the zoo this weekend”
B. “animals live in cages”
C. “zoos are large”
D. “people like animals”
A. “visit the zoo this weekend”
A map in a book shows a compass rose and labels for oceans and continents.
Question:
What information does the compass rose provide?
A. Types of animals
B. Directions (north, south, east, west)
C. Weather patterns
D. Distances between cities
B. Directions (north, south, east, west)
The class wanted a garden but had no tools. To solve the problem, they raised money and bought supplies.
Question:
What text structure is used?
A. Sequence
B. Cause and effect
C. Problem and solution
D. Compare and contrast
C. Problem and solution