Identifying Main Ideas

Identifying the Main Idea

Paragraph 1

It is often said that lightning never strikes twice in the same place, but this isn't true. Go ask the forest rangers. Rangers who spend their summers as fire-fighters will tell you that every thundershower brings several bolts of lightning to their lookout stations.

Paragraph 2

Costs were low that year and the output high. There was a good person for each job and the market remained firm. There were no losses from fire. All in all, it was the best year in the history of the company.

Paragraph 3

There are great numbers of deer around here. This whole area is great country for hunters and fishermen. There are bears, mountain lions, and coyotes. To the east, there are streams full of trout, and there are ducks and geese.

Paragraph 4

Advertising affects our lives everyday. Brand names are common household words. We start each day using the toothpaste, soap, and breakfast foods, promoted by advertisers. Ads have made the cars we drive, signs of our success. Our choices of food, dress, and entertainment are swayed by ads. Not one aspect of American life is untouched by advertising.

​In the next paragraph, the main idea is not stated explicitly. Using clues from the paragraph, you will need to infer the implied main idea.

Paragraph 5

Do you wear glasses? Make sure your glasses fit well. The ear pieces should be at eye level. Don't try to adjust the earpieces yourself. Take your glasses for adjustments to the place you bought them. Keep your glasses in a case when you're not wearing them. This will prevent scratches. Keep the lenses clean. A soft cloth is best for cleaning.

Open Ended

Do you wear glasses? Make sure your glasses fit well. The ear pieces should be at eye level. Don't try to adjust the earpieces yourself. Take your glasses for adjustments to the place you bought them. Keep your glasses in a case when you're not wearing them. This will prevent scratches. Keep the lenses clean. A soft cloth is best for cleaning.

Based on the clues in the paragraph, what is the main idea in Paragraph 5? Type your answer below.

Multiple Choice

People often refer to taxes in terms of being too high. In reality, they are probably even higher than you think, because in addition to the federal income tax we are now studying, there are many other Federal, State, and local taxes, including sales taxes, inheritance taxes, state income taxes, personal property taxes, real estate taxes, and others. These are just some of the most obvious ones.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• Taxes are much too high.

• We pay more taxes than we may realize.

• Inheritance taxes and real estate taxes are unfair.

• Some taxes are hidden.

Multiple Choice

The fact that electronic computers are now used for data processing has led the general public to believe that it is a mysterious, complicated science and that the computers are giant brains. Both of these ideas are false. A computer is basically just a high-speed adding machine that performs the functions it is told to. If the input data are varied even a little, the computer is unable to operate until it is programmed to accept the variations. The business operations it performs are impressive only because of the extremely high speed of the manipulation, but most of these operations have been used for decades. Unlike man, the computer performs repetitive calclations without getting tired or bored.

• A computer is mysterious giant brain

• A computer is impressive because of its high speed

• A computer is a high-speed adding machine

• A computer is superior to man in many ways

Multiple Choice

The Louisiana Purchase proved to be one of the shrewdest business pacts in the entire history of the United States. The purchase doubled in the area of the country and provided territory from which fourteen new states were created either wholly or in part. It also gave us control over the mouth of the Mississippi River and opened up the way to foreign trade. Prior to the purchase, the waterway had been blocked by the Spanish, probably with the approval of Napoleon. The land that was bought was rich in timber, minerals, and natural resources of many kinds. Finally, the cost of the transaction was unbelievably low; the total of $15 million amounted to about four cents an acre.

• Most Americans were very pleased with the purchase

• The land bought by the Louisiana Purchase was rich in minerals

• The land bought by the Louisiana Purchase was very cheap

• The Louisiana Purchase was a very good business deal for the U.S.

Multiple Choice

There is a common belief that while the dog is man's best friend, the coyote is his worst enemy. the bad reputation of the coyote traces back to his fondness for small animals; he hunts at night and is particularly destructive to sheep, young pigs, and poultry. Yet, it is sometimes wise to encourage coyotes. Provided valuable farm animals are protected, the coyote will often free the property of other animals, like rabbits, which are ruinous to crops and certain trees. He is especially beneficial in keeping down the rodent population. Where coyotes have been allowed to do their work without bother, ranchers, and fruit growers have found them so valuable that they would no more shoot them than they would shoot their dogs.

• Under certain conditions, the coyote is useful to man

• The coyote is feared because of his fondness for small animals

• Modern ranchers would no sooner shoot coyotes than they would shoot dogs

• The coyote usually prefers rabbits and other rodents to sheep and poultry

Multiple Choice

The attitudes of Americans toward gambling are amazingly contradictory. You may find, for example, that horse racing is legal in your state, but that you can't legally play poker for money on your front porch. Bookies may be prosecuted by state law, but they are supposed to purchase a federal license nonetheless. One church condemns gambling, while another raises money by sponsoring Bingo games. Gambling laws are inconsistent from state to state or even from town to town and are very difficult to enforce.

• Gambling laws are difficult to enforce

• Gambling laws are inconsistent from community to community

• Americans have negative attitudes towards gambling

• Churches do not have uniform ideas about gambling

Multiple Choice

Melanie is in the fourth grade. Her favorite sport is soccer. She loves soccer because she gets to play with her friends. Scoring goals and celebrating with her team is what Melanie loves best. She also enjoys eating the oranges at half-time; they are delicious!

• Melanie is in the fourth grade

• Melanie loves eating oranges

• She loves scoring goals

• Her favorite sport is soccer

Multiple Choice

The sun is shining on a cool fall day, The students' backpacks are filled with new notebooks and pencils. They wait at the bus stop, talking with their friends who they haven't seen all summer. The teachers are happy as they greet the new students in the hallway on their way to class. Everyone is excited for the first day of school.

• Everyone is excited about seeing their friends

• Everyone is excited for the first day of school

• The sun is shining on a cool fall day

• The teachers are as happy as they greet the new students in the hallway on their way to class

Multiple Choice

BANG! The thunder crashes and the wind blows the leaves off of the trees. Summer thunderstorms can cause damage to yards and homes. Thunderstorms bring heavy rains that cause flooding in basements and sheds. Heavy winds and lightning can damage power lines, causing people to lose electric power in their homes.

• The thunder crashes and the wind blows the leaves off the trees

• Summer thunderstorms can cause damage to yards and homes

• Heavy winds and lightning can damage power lines, causing people to lose electric power in their homes

• Thunderstorms bring heavy rain and flooding