Main Idea
Summary
Supporting Details
*HARDER*
100
Native Americans dried strips of meat, pounded it into a paste, and then mixed it with fat. Sometimes they added berries and sugar. Then they pressed it into small cakes. They called these cakes pemmican. Pemmican didn't spoil, and it provided lots of energy for people traveling or going hunting. Today explorers still carry and eat this food. What does this passage mainly tell about?
How pemmican was prepared by Native Americans.
100
What can you summarize?
A< only novels
B>only nonfiction
C<only movies
D<anything you read or watch
D<anything you read or watch
100
Select the best topic sentence for the paragraph.
When the teacher walks in, we are always ready for class. We don't talk when the teacher is talking, and are always respectful. No one ever gets in trouble.
A< School is awesome.
B< Our teacher likes our class the most.
C< The other class is way worse than our class.
D< Our class is always well behave
D< Our class is always well behave
100
Carrots contain high amounts of vitamin A and are good for general eye health. However, carrots will not improve night vision. That myth goes back to British propaganda during World War II. In 1940, the German Luftwaffe, or air force, began bombing Britain at night. In response, the British government ordered people to turn off their lights; the government wanted to make it difficult for German pilots to hit their targets. A new technology, radar, allowed the British air force to track and shoot down the German planes without light. To keep the technology secret, the government told the media that their pilots could see the German planes because they consumed so many carrots. Consequently, people began to believe that eating carrots would help them see better in the dark.
What is the main idea of the passage?
Because of a British media campaign, people thought that eating carrots would improve their night vision.
200
The lack of gravity in space makes even simple tasks a challenge. Astronauts have to wear boots that hold their feet to the floor so that they can walk around. Eating is a real chore. Dried and frozen foods are stored in plastic bags. To eat chicken soup, the astronauts cut a hole in one end of the bag and squeeze the soup into their mouths. What does this passage mainly tell about?
A>why space food is stored in plastic bags
B>why there is little gravity in space
C>why easy tasks are challenging in space
D>how to eat chicken soup
C> why easy tasks are challenging in space
200
For the walls, Jenny thought she would use a bright yellow paint. She would pick a border that had mostly bright red and green colors, and maybe a little bit of blue. She already had found some curtains that were sky blue with streaks of red, blue and yellow that she thought would go great with the walls. And finally, she had picked a carpet that was mostly blue with specks of red and yellow. Jenny couldn't wait till she was done decorating her room. It was really going to look awesome.
The Summary of this passage is:
Z< Jenny likes bright colors.
Y<Jenny was going to paint her room.
X<Jenny was picking out colors and materials to decorate her room.
W<Yellow is a good color to paint your walls.
X<Jenny was picking out colors and materials to decorate her room.
200
Select the supporting detail that doesn't fit.
Topic Sentence: Mrs. Hart drinks coffee for a number of reasons.
A< She likes the taste of it.
B< Coffee isn't as good as tea.
C< It helps her stay awake.
D< When she doesn't drink it she gets really crabby.
B< Coffee isn't as good as tea.
200
In March 2016, Death Valley National Park in
California experienced a rare occurrence: thousands of yellow wildflowers covered the region in a "super bloom." Why was this unusual? Death Valley is the hottest and driest place in North America. The area's average yearly precipitation is just two inches, making it a challenging place for flowers to grow. However, in October 2015, the valley had received more than three inches of rain in some areas. As a result of the unusually wet season, wildflower seeds that had been lying dormant underground suddenly began to grow, producing an abundance of golden blooms. What is the main idea of the passage?
Because of an unusual amount of rain, thousands of wildflowers grew in Death Valley in 2016.
300
Tap dancing started in America. It began as folk dancing that had much kicking and stamping. Over time two kinds of dancing developed. In one kind the dancers wore hard shoes and danced very fast. In the other they wore soft shoes and danced slowly and easily. There wasn't really any tap in tap dancing until 1925. That's when someone put metal pieces on the toes and heels of tap shoes. What does this passage mainly tell about?
A< how there are two kinds of tap dancing
B>how tap shoes are made
D>where some folk dances came from
C>how tap dancing developed
D >how tap dancing delveloped
300
When some people think about Texas, they think of cowboys on the open range-herding cattle up a dusty trail. However, Texas has much more than open prairie with large herds of cows. There are the mountains of West Texas, the piney hills of east Texas, and the emerald waters off the coast of Padre Island. Texas also has large coastal harbors with numerous sailboats, powerboats, inland lakes, rivers, swamps of southeast Texas with alligators and other exotic wildlife.
The Summary of this passage is:
A< There are a lot of cows in Texas.
B< There are many different, varied parts of Texas.
C< Texas is one of the biggest states in the United States.
D< There are alligators in the swampland of southeast Texas
B< There are many different, varied parts of Texas.
300
Select the supporting detail that doesn't fit.
Topic Sentence: Elephants are very intelligent animals.
A< Elephants tear off branches of trees to use as fly swatters.
B< An elephant can live for as long as sixty-five years.
C<Elephants can recognize their reflections in mirrors.
D<Elephants have been seen keeping vigil over their dead companions
B< An elephant can live for as long as sixty-five years.
300
In 2015, when the U.S. women's soccer team won its third World Cup title, the broadcast of the match had more viewers than any other soccer game in television history. Yet despite their prowess and fan support, the women's team makes as much as sixty-two percent less than the men's national team, according to a complaint filed by women players. The men's team earned $9 million for reaching only the sixteenth round of the 2014 World Cup. In contrast, the women received just $2 million for winning the 2015 title. In friendlies—games that don't count toward team rankings—the men were paid $5,000 dollars per game, plus a bonus of up to $17,625 for a victory. Women, on the other hand, earned just $3,600 per game with a $1,350 bonus for a win.
What is the main idea of the passage?
In spite of their success and popularity, members of the U.S. women's soccer team are paid significantly less than their male counterparts.
400
Virginia Hamilton started writing at a young age. People in her family were great storytellers. She loved to listen to their tales about her African American heritage. When she grew up, Hamilton brought the tales to life in stories. Now she is a famous writer of books for children. What does this passage mainly tell about?
how family stories led to her writing career
400
When some people think about Texas, they think of cowboys on the open range-herding cattle up a dusty trail. However, Texas has much more than open prairie with large herds of cows. There are the mountains of West Texas, the piney hills of east Texas, and the emerald waters off the coast of Padre Island. Texas also has large coastal harbors with numerous sailboats, powerboats, inland lakes, rivers, swamps of southeast Texas with alligators and other exotic wildlife.
The Summary of this passage is:
A< Jill has many restaurants to choose from for her birthday.
B< Jill loves Mexican food.
C< The Pizza Shop has the best pizza in town.
D<Jill will choose a place by flipping a coin.
A< Jill has many restaurants to choose from for her birthday.
400
Select the supporting detail that doesn't fit.
Topic Sentence: Schools should eliminate summer vacation.
A< During summer classes, the school should be air-conditioned.
B< Year-round school can better prepare students for year-round work in the adult world.
C< Students will learn more and forget less if they have school all year.
D< It costs too much money for school buildings to remain empty in the summer months.
A< During summer classes, the school should be air-conditioned.
400
In the northeastern United States, autumn is particularly colorful. Leaves change from green to red and orange, and many Americans take scenic fall foliage trips. In Japan, a similar phenomenon takes place in the spring. Cherry trees erupt in a shower of pink, and the entire country celebrates the arrival of sakura, or cherry blossoms. Though autumn leaves are admired in the United States, they are seen as just a pretty seasonal display. In Japan, on the other hand, cherry blossoms have much greater significance; the flowers are deeply rooted in Japan's culture and philosophy. Since as far back as the eighth century, sakura have symbolized change and beauty, new beginnings, and the circle of life. The blossoms have been celebrated in Japanese paintings, poems, and tea ceremonies for centuries.
What is the main idea of the passage?
Japan's spring cherry blossoms often serve as symbols of change or new beginnings in works of Japanese art or literature.
Americans appreciate the colorful leaves of fall, but the Japanese view the cherry blossoms of spring as part of their culture.
Americans appreciate the colorful leaves of fall, but the Japanese view the cherry blossoms of spring as part of their culture.
500
The Crimean War was fought in the 1850s between Russia on one side and Britain, France, and Turkey on the other. Although it was a major conflict, it is perhaps best remembered as the first war in which journalists were present on the battlefield. News dispatches from William Howard Russell, a reporter for the Times of London, exposed military blunders and revealed the filthy conditions that existed in military hospitals and camps. Photographers such as James Robertson and Roger Fenton made hundreds of photographs of soldiers on the battlefield. These news reports and photographs provided an uncensored look at life on the frontlines. The Crimean War marked the first time in history that people back home were exposed to the horrors of war.
A< The Crimean War was the first war to be documented for civilians.
B< The Crimean war was fought between the Russians and and the British, French, and Turkish
A<The Crimean War was the first war to be documented for civilians.
500
There are five teams of students in the fifth grade. The blue team has math first period, and the red team has science. The yellow team gets to go outside early in the morning, while the green team goes to music. Only students on the orange team get to play games first period. Each student wears a name tag with his or her color, so that the teachers and students all know where a student should be.
A> Students are organized by teams with color name
B> The blue team has math first.
C> Students wear name tags.
D> The yellow team has the best schedule.
A> Students are organized by teams with color name
500
Select the supporting detail that doesn't fit.
Topic Sentence: There are many reasons people find clowns scary.
A> Their face paint hides their true identity.
B> People often think of the creepy clowns they've seen in movies.
C> There have been some bad clowns in the news lately.
D> They make fun balloon animals.
D> They make fun balloon animals
500
We generally think of our senses as having completely separate functions. This is a logical assumption; after all, we can't see with our ears or taste with our eyes. For people with a condition called synesthesia, however, senses can be conflated, or mixed together. In fact, the word synesthesia, derived from Greek, literally means "sensations together." This combining of senses causes interesting sensory experiences. For example, some synesthetes (people who experience synesthesia) imagine tasting a particular flavor whenever they hear a certain sound. Others "hear" a sound in their minds whenever they touch a certain object. The most common types of synesthesia involve colors. In one common subtype, for instance, synesthetes associate different colors with different letters of the alphabet. Typically, synesthetes are not bothered by their synesthesia; in fact, many enjoy it.
People with synesthesia experience a fusing of different senses.