Main Idea
Passage: Keira started walking to school three days a week. She noticed she felt more awake in first period and enjoyed talking with her neighbor on the way. Question: What is the paragraph mainly about?
Walking to school has had positive effects for Keira.
Claim: Mateo enjoys cooking. Which detail best supports it?
A. He owns blue shoes.
B. He tries new recipes every weekend.
C. His sister likes movies.
D. He wakes up early.
Answer: B
Passage: Talia walked into the kitchen and saw flour on the counter, candles beside a cake box, and her brother quickly closing a cabinet.
Question: What can you infer? Answer: Someone is preparing a cake/celebration.
Claim: Bryce was nervous. Passage: “Bryce’s hands were shaking as he waited for his name to be called.” Question: What is the evidence?
Answer: His hands were shaking.
Passage: Mia usually talks constantly, but today she was unusually silent during lunch. Question: What does silent mean?
Answer: Not speaking/quiet.
Passage: Many students listen to music while studying. Some say it helps them concentrate, while others become distracted by lyrics. The best choice may depend on the person and the task. Question: What is the main idea?
Answer: Music can affect studying differently for different people.
Main idea: Getting enough sleep helps students at school. Which detail supports it?
A. Some students prefer tea.
B. Well-rested students may concentrate better.
C. School starts in August.
D. Teenagers use backpacks.
Answer: B
Passage: Luis kept looking toward the clock during the last ten minutes of class. The moment the bell rang, he grabbed his bag and ran toward the parking lot.
Question: What can you infer? Answer: He was in a hurry / needed to leave quickly.
Claim: Aaliyah prepared carefully. Passage: “She checked the directions twice, packed everything the night before, and arrived early.” Question: Which detail is strongest evidence?
Answer: Any of those, ideally checked directions/packed beforehand; require explanation.
Passage: Before the competition, Devon reviewed his notes, practiced several times, and checked his equipment. He felt prepared when his name was called.
Question: What does prepared mean? Answer: Ready.
Passage: Amir used to spend most of his allowance immediately. After missing out on something he really wanted, he began setting part of his money aside each week. Several months later, he had enough saved. Question: What lesson/main idea does the paragraph communicate?
Answer: Saving small amounts over time can help you reach a goal.
Main idea: Elena has become more responsible at work. Which TWO details support it? She arrives on time; she checks her phone often; she completes tasks without reminders; she likes the uniform.
Answer: arrives on time + completes tasks without reminders
Passage: After getting his test back, Andre folded the paper immediately and put it at the bottom of his backpack. He did not show it to his friends.
Question: What can you infer? Answer: He may be unhappy/embarrassed about his grade.
Passage: “The hallway became quiet as the principal entered. Several students stopped talking and moved away from the lockers.” Question: Give one piece of evidence that students noticed the principal.
Answer: They stopped talking / moved away.
Passage: The hiking trail looked easy at first. After an hour of steep hills, loose rocks, and several difficult climbs, the group realized the route was strenuous. Question: What does strenuous mean?
Answer: Physically difficult/tiring.
Passage: Students often assume leadership means being the loudest person in a group. However, good leaders may also listen, organize, encourage others, and make sure everyone contributes. Question: Which statement best expresses the main idea?
Answer: Leadership involves more than being outspoken.
Passage: A community garden gives neighbors fresh vegetables, a place to work together, and an opportunity to learn about growing food. Question: Which detail would NOT support the main idea that the garden benefits the neighborhood?
Answer: Any unrelated detail, e.g. “The fence is painted brown.”
Passage: Nia had practiced her speech several times at home. Before presenting, her hands were shaking, but she volunteered to go first. Question: What can you infer about Nia? Give evidence.
Answer: She is nervous but prepared/brave; shaking hands + volunteered first.
Claim: Marcus is dependable. Evidence choices: A. He likes basketball. B. His friends call him after school. C. He always completes his part of group projects on time. D. He has a new backpack.
Answer: C, plus explain why.
Passage: For months, the club had trouble attracting members. Then a popular student joined, several friends followed, and attendance quickly increased. The club experienced a resurgence. Question: What does resurgence mean? What clues helped?
Answer: A comeback/increase after decline; clues are low membership then attendance increased.
Passage: A student signs up for several advanced classes because friends are taking them. Within weeks, she realizes she has little time to sleep or complete assignments carefully. She eventually drops one course and begins doing better in the others. Question: State the main idea in your own words.
Answer: Taking on too much can hurt performance, and reducing responsibilities can help.
Passage: Jordan argues that students should have more choices in class projects. He says students work harder when topics interest them and may produce more creative work. Question: Which supporting detail is strongest, and why?
Answer: Either relevant detail, with reasoning; ideally “students work harder when topics interest them” because it directly supports engagement.
Passage: Camila receives two job offers. One pays more but requires late nights; the other pays less but fits her school schedule. She spends a long time comparing them. Question: What can you infer about what matters to Camila? Support your answer.
Answer: She values balance/school as well as money; evidence is comparing schedule demands instead of choosing highest pay immediately.
Passage: A student says the cafeteria is overcrowded. The text says some students wait ten minutes for seats, others eat outside, and teachers sometimes open an extra room. Question: Which evidence is strongest? Why?
Answer: Waiting ten minutes for seats is strongest direct evidence; acceptable with reasoning.
Passage: The coach did not criticize the player publicly. Instead, he spoke privately, pointed out the mistake, and explained how to improve. His approach was constructive rather than humiliating. Question: What does constructive mean? Use more than one clue.
Answer: Helpful and aimed at improvement; clues are private feedback + explaining how to improve.