Find the Main Idea!
Eric gripped the bat in his hands. His palms were sweaty but he took a deep breath as he stepped up to the plate. He had to score a run or his team would lose the game. When the pitcher threw a fastball, Eric’s reflexes took over and he heard the “Crack!” of the bat hitting the ball. His heart raced with excitement as he ran to first base. He was safe!
The main idea of this passage is:
A. Eric plays baseball.
B. Eric scores a homerun.
C. How to play baseball.
D. Eric overcomes his nerves and makes it to first base.
D. Eric overcomes his nerves and makes it to first base.
Lena had always been shy, but when she moved to a new school, she found it hard to make friends. One day, Maya invited her to sit at her lunch table. Over time, Lena became more confident, realizing that true friends support each other.
What is the theme of this story?
A) Moving to a new school is difficult.
B) Friendship helps people grow.
C) Lunch tables are important places.
D) Shy people never make friends.
B) Friendship helps people grow.
Homemade pizza is delicious. First, make the dough from flour, water, and yeast. After that, begin making the tomato sauce. Next, add any vegetables you like. Then, bake it in the oven. After a short time, the kitchen begins to smell delicious. Soon, it’s ready to eat!
Main Idea: There are many steps you have to take to make pizza at home!
Mr. Jake chose this as his supporting detail to match his main idea: Pizzas are my favorite food!
Is this a good supporting detail?
No! This is Mr. Jake's opinion, which shouldn't be included as a supporting detail. Supporting details come from the text.
Read this sentence.
The explorer used a map to navigate through the dense jungle.
What is the meaning of the word navigate?
A: To get lost
B: To find the way
C: To carry supplies
D: To cut down trees
B: To find the way
What does the suffix "-less" mean in the word "fearless"?
A: Full of fear
B: Without fear
C: More fear
D: Having extra fear
My dog is called Buttons and he learns new tricks really quickly. When I say “Hands”, he will give me one of his front paws. He can even walk on two legs when I tell him to. It only took me three days to teach him these tricks. I don’t think other dogs can learn as quickly as Buttons. He is the best.
What is the main idea?
a. My dog is not clever.
b. My dog is the smartest dog!
c. I wish I can be a good dog trainer.
b. My dog is the smartest dog!
Jason wanted to make the basketball team, but he wasn’t the best player. Instead of giving up, he practiced every day. Sometimes he would practice late night and early mornings. By the time tryouts arrived, he had improved so much that he made the team!
What is the theme of this story?
A) Practice and determination lead to success.
B) Basketball is the best sport.
C) Only talented people make the team.
D) Winning is everything.
A) Practice and determination lead to success.
A volcano is an opening in the Earth's surface where lava, ash, and gases escape. Some volcanoes erupt with explosive force, while others have slow, flowing lava. Volcanoes can form islands, change landscapes, and even affect the climate. Many volcanoes are found along the "Ring of Fire," a region in the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes and eruptions happen often.
Main Idea: Volcanoes can have a big impact on the Earth.
Mr. Jake chose this as her supporting detail to match her main idea: Volcanoes can change the shape of the land by creating new islands.
Is this a good supporting detail?
Yes, this is a good supporting detail because it explains one way that volcanoes affect the Earth, which supports the main idea.
Read this sentence.
After hiking for hours, Maria was exhausted and needed to rest.
What is the meaning of the word exhausted?
A: Very hungry
B: Very tired
C: Very excited
D: Very strong
B: Very tired
What does the prefix "re-" mean in the word "redo"?
A: Not
B: Before
C: Again
D: Without
B: Again
I always have trouble flying a kite. For a kite to fly, the weather needs to be good and windy. If there is no wind, the kite will never fly. You need to find a spacious place to fly your kite. It is dangerous to fly your kite near roads, power lines or an airport.
What is the main idea?
a. Flying kites is hard.
b. Kites can break easily.
c. It is dangerous to fly a kite.
a. Flying kites is hard.
One day, Emma was walking home from school. Emma found a wallet on the sidewalk. She knew she could keep it without anyone knowing, but instead, she took it to the police station. Later, the owner thanked her for her honesty. She was rewarded $20 by the owner.
What is the theme of this story?
A) Honesty brings rewards.
B) People always lose their wallets.
C) The police help find lost things.
D) Keeping secrets is important.
A) Honesty brings rewards.
Penguins are birds that cannot fly, but they are excellent swimmers. They have strong flippers that help them move quickly through the water. Most penguins live in cold places like Antarctica, but some can be found in warmer regions. They huddle together to stay warm and take care of their chicks in groups.
Main Idea: Penguins have special adaptations to survive in their environments.
Ms. Arreola chose this as her supporting detail to match her main idea: Penguins use their flippers to swim instead of flying.
Is this a good supporting detail?
Yes, this is a good supporting detail because it explains one of the ways penguins have adapted to their environment.
Read this sentence.
And if someone wanted to order a pizza with nine different toppings, how could the designer be sure that all of the toppings were visible?
What is the meaning of the word visible?
A: Able to be seen
B: Able to be eaten
C: Able to be moved
D: Able to be touched
A: Able to be seen
What does the prefix "re-" mean in the word "redo"?
A: Not
B: Before
C: Again
D: Without
C: Again
During recess, I always go to the library because there are a lot of amazing books there. I love reading. As it is quiet, it lets me concentrate and think about different things. The librarian is really nice and friendly too. She gives me candies all the time. What is the main idea?
The library is my favorite place.
Noah noticed his elderly neighbor struggling to carry groceries. He offered to help, and the neighbor smiled, thanking him for his kindness. From that day on, Noah made an effort to help others whenever he could.
What is the theme of this story?
A) It’s important to be kind and helpful.
B) Grocery bags are too heavy.
C) Elderly people always need help.
D) Smiling makes people happy.
A) It’s important to be kind and helpful.
The sun is a huge ball of hot gases that gives light and heat to Earth. It is much bigger than our planet and is located in the center of our solar system. Without the sun, plants wouldn’t grow, and Earth would be very cold. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west every day.
Main Idea: The sun is very important for life on Earth.
Mr. Jake chose this as his supporting detail to match his main idea: The moon is also in the sky at night.
Is this a good supporting detail?
No, this is not a good supporting detail because it talks about the moon instead of the sun. While the moon is also in the sky, it does not explain why the sun is important for life on Earth.
Read this sentence.
The new law will restrict the number of cars allowed in the city center to reduce traffic.
What is the meaning of the word restrict?
A: To increase
B: To limit
C: To encourage
D: To ignore
B: To limit
Read this sentence: "At night they would have to stop to rest and find a safe place to camp." The word "safely" comes from the word "safe." What does the suffix "-ly" mean in the word "safely"?
A. The state of being safe
B. To do in a safe way
C. Able to be safe
D. Full of safety
B. To do in a safe way
Inside the volcano, there are hot liquid rocks called magma. It becomes lava when it comes out of the volcano. The lava that flows out of some volcanoes can reach up to 1100 degrees. It’s hot enough to burn you and in some cases, it can kill you. Other than lava, gases coming out of the volcano are poisonous to us.
What is the main idea?
a. Volcanoes are really dangerous.
b. Lava is hot.
c. Gases emitted from volcanoes are poisonous.
B. Lava is hot
All of the following are examples of theme EXCEPT:
A. Good things come to those who wait
B. It is never too late to change
C. The girl spent hours on her project & made an A+
D. Hard work pays off
C. The girl spent hours on her project & made an A+
Water is always moving through a natural process called the water cycle. It begins when the sun heats water in lakes, rivers, and oceans, causing it to evaporate into the air. As the water vapor rises, it cools and condenses into clouds. When the clouds become heavy, precipitation occurs, and water falls back to Earth as rain, snow, or hail. Some of this water flows into rivers and lakes, while some soaks into the ground. Eventually, the water makes its way back to oceans and lakes, where the cycle begins again. This process is important because it helps distribute water all over the world. Without the water cycle, life on Earth would not be possible.
Main Idea: The water cycle is a continuous process that moves water through different stages.
Ms. Arreola chose this as his supporting detail to match his main idea: Water evaporates from oceans, lakes, and rivers before turning into clouds.
Is this a good supporting detail?Yes, this is a good supporting detail because it describes a part of the water cycle, supporting the main idea that water moves through different stages.
Read these sentences, what is the meaning of the word collaborated?
So, it was time to stop prototyping. He was ready to move on to building the real thing. But Leo didn't take the step alone. He collaborated with his sister. Sylvie had learned a lot about making websites in computer class at school.
A: traveled
B: argued
C: cooperated
D: discovered
What does the word "dwindle" mean in this sentence: “Sometimes, if their food began to dwindle, families would go hunting to find meat or gather more plants.”?
A. To grow and increase
B. To find more food
C. To run out or decrease
D. To appear
C. To run out or decrease