Summarizing Level Up

Summarizing Level Up

Multiple Choice

A summary should include which of the following?

• every detail about the chapters

• the titles of each chapter

• the major plot events

• the minor events of the plot

Multiple Choice

Mary Anning was born May 21, 1799, in Lyme, Regis, a small seaside community in Great Britain. The cliffs of Lyme Regis contain many dinosaur fossils. Mary's father, Richard, searched for fossils as a hobby. He passed on this passion to Mary and her brother Joseph.

After their father died in an accident, Mary and Joseph supported their family by selling fossils to tourists, museums, and scientists. In 1811, Joseph discovered the skull of a large dinosaur that once lived in the ocean. A year later, Mary found the rest of the skeleton. The Annings' discovery made them famous.

Which detail should be included in a summary of the article?

• Lyme Regis is a small seaside community.

• Mary Anning's father died in an accident.

• Mary Anning discovered dinosaur fossils.

• Mary Anning's birthday was May 21.

Multiple Choice

After their father died in an accident, Mary and Joseph supported their family by selling fossils to tourists, museums, and scientists. In 1811, Joseph discovered the skull of a large dinosaur that once lived in the ocean. A year later, Mary found the rest of the skeleton. The Annings' discovery made them famous.

Which sentence best summarizes this paragraph from the article about the Anning family?

• Mary and Joseph Annings' father died in an accident.

• Mary and Joseph Annings' fossil discoveries made them famous.

• Scientists bough fossils from Mary and Joseph Anning.

• Mary Anning found the rest of the dinosaur skeleton.

Multiple Choice

Mia watched her mother's car pull away and felt her heart sink. I can't believe she's leaving me here with my grandparents for the entire summer, she thought.

Tired from the trip, Mia brushed her teeth and went to bed. Still, she lay awake long after dark that night. Her grandparents had tried to make her feel welcome, but she still dreaded the weeks to come. The lights and sounds of the city made her feel happy and alive. She just knew that the countryside would be quiet and dull in comparison.

The next morning, Mia stood staring out the window. The sky was filled with color: streaks of the brightest yellow, orange, and pink. Her eyes tuned in to the songs of the birds. Mia laughed, wondering how she could ever have thought this place would be quiet and dull.

Which detail should be left out of a summary of this passage?

• Mia is staying with her grandparents for the summer.

• Mia wishes to return to her home in the city.

• Mia realizes she was wrong about the countryside.

• Mia brushed her teeth and went to bed.

Multiple Choice

Tired from the trip, Mia brushed her teeth and went to bed. Still, she lay awake long after dark that night. Her grandparents had tried to make her feel welcome, but she still dreaded the weeks to come. The lights and sounds of the city made her feel happy and alive. She just knew that the countryside would be quiet and dull in comparison.

Which sentence best summarizes this paragraph?

• Mia worries that she will dislike the countryside.

• Mia goes to stay with her grandparents.

• Mia learns to appreciate life in the country.

• Mia goes to bed early.

Steps to Summarizing an Informational Text

• Identify the central idea in an informational text and the important details that support the idea.

• Summarize an informational text by restating in one's own words the central idea and important details.

• Provide an accurate and objective summary free of personal opinions or judgements.

Multiple Choice

                              Snakes' Place in the Food Chain
Many people consider snakes to be pests, but snakes are a vital part of the food chain, as are all organisms on Earth. A change within a food chain affects all of the organisms in that food chain.
Consider the following food chain, which can found throughout the U.S. 
acorn → mouse → snake → hawk

The acorn is the seed of a producer → an organism 
(an oak tree, in this case) 
that makes its own food from the sun.  The second link is a primary consumer - an organism that eats producers.  The snake and the hawk are secondary  consumers (also called predators) that eat other animals.

If the snake population changes, other changes occur up and down the food chain.  If the snake population increases, more snakes eat more mice.  Fewer mice are left to eat acorns, so perhaps more acorns grow into oak trees.  In addition, more snakes would mean more food for the hawks.  Or, consider the alternative.  If the snake population decreases, the mouse population would increase.  More mice would eat more acorns, so fewer oak trees would grow.  And the hawk population, without snakes to hunt, might decrease as well.  changing one link in a food chain affects all of the other links, even if just in a small ways.
Which of the following sentence from the text best represents the main idea of the text?

• And the hawk population, without snakes to hunt, might decrease as well. 
  

• If the snake population changes, other changes occur up and down the food chain. 
  

• Many people consider snakes to be pests.
  

• The second link is a primary consumer - an organism that eats producers. 

Multiple Choice

                              Snakes' Place in the Food Chain
Many people consider snakes to be pests, but snakes are a vital part of the food chain, as are all organisms on Earth. A change within a food chain affects all of the organisms in that food chain.
Consider the following food chain, which can found throughout the U.S. 
acorn → mouse → snake → hawk

The acorn is the seed of a producer → an organism 
(an oak tree, in this case) 
that makes its own food from the sun.  The second link is a primary consumer - an organism that eats producers.  The snake and the hawk are secondary  consumers (also called predators) that eat other animals.

If the snake population changes, other changes occur up and down the food chain.  If the snake population increases, more snakes eat more mice.  Fewer mice are left to eat acorns, so perhaps more acorns grow into oak trees.  In addition, more snakes would mean more food for the hawks.  Or, consider the alternative.  If the snake population decreases, the mouse population would increase.  More mice would eat more acorns, so fewer oak trees would grow.  And the hawk population, without snakes to hunt, might decrease as well.  changing one link in a food chain affects all of the other links, even if just in a small ways.
Which of the following best summarizes the entire scientific account?

• Some people think snakes are pests, but snakes are the part of the food chain.  They eat mice, which are real pests.

• Hawks are the fiercest predators in the food chain.  They hunt snakes, keeping the snake population from getting too high.

• A changing snake population would affect hawks.  They would have less to eat, so they would be fewer hawks.

• Snakes play an important role in a complex food chain.  Their population size affects the number of mice, hawks, and oak trees.

Incorrect Answer (A) Analysis: Some people think snakes are pests, but snakes are the part of the food chain. They eat mice, which are real pests.

This answer choice focuses on opinions rather than on facts. It does not identify the central idea.

Remember: An objective summary does not include opinions or beliefs.

Incorrect Answer (B) Analysis

Hawks are the fiercest predators in the food chain. They hunt snakes, keeping the snake population from getting too high.

• This answer choice includes an opinion, and it does not not correctly identify the central idea of the passage.

Incorrect answer (C) analysis:

A changing snake population would affect hawks. They would have less to eat, so they would be fewer hawks.

• This answer choice presents one of the text's supporting details instead of the central idea.