Main Idea #2

Multiple Choice

In Greek mythology, Pandora was a woman who let her curiosity get the best of her. Pandora opened a box she was told not to open. This released many ills, such as war and sorrow on the world. The phrase "Pandora's Box" is still used today. It refers to something that could have many bad effects and would be better left alone, or "unopened."

What is the MAIN IDEA of this passage?

• Curiosity often leads to trouble.

• The phrase "Pandora's Box" comes from Greek mythology.

• All of the world's problems today can be blamed on Pandora.

Multiple Choice

Many household items have more than one use. Vinegar is usually used in cooking, but did you know it makes an excellent window cleaner? Did you know that baking soda can unclog a stopped-up drain? Toothpaste can get the odor of onions off your hands, and hair spray can remove ink stains from your favorite shirt. Next time you're too full to finish your soda, save it to clean your toilet.

What is the MAIN IDEA of this passage?

• Many household products have more than one use.

• Many household products are sold under the wrong labels.

• Using things you find around the house is cheaper than buying name-brand products.

Multiple Choice

An exotic pet is an animal that has been caught in the wild and then kept as a pet. Exotic pets are cute when they're little, but many become bigger and stronger than their owners. And that means they're dangerous. People have been bitten by monkeys, suffocated by snakes, and even attacked by tigers--in the privacy of their own homes!

What is the MAIN IDEA of this passage?

• People who want exotic pets should keep them outside.

• Exotic pets are animals that have been caught in the wild and kept as a pet.

• Exotic pets are dangerous to keep as pets.

Multiple Choice

English is a hard language to learn because many English words are actually not English. Our language has about a million words, and 80% of those words are borrowed from other languages. This means that 80% of our words don't follow the rules of the English language. No wonder English is such a difficult language to learn!

What is the MAIN IDEA of this passage?

• English is the most difficult language to learn.

• Because English uses so many borrowed words, it's a difficult language to learn.

• 80% of English words are borrowed from other languages.

Multiple Choice

American football is played on a rectangular field with goalposts. Well-padded players pass, carry, and kick the ball. The game is full of pauses as teams discuss their next play.

Australian football is played on a round field with no goalposts. Players do not wear any padding and kick the ball almost as often as in soccer. Australian soccer is fast-paced and full of nonstop action.

What is the MAIN IDEA of this passage?

• American football is very different from Australian football.

• American football is boring compared to Australian football.

• Australian football players are tougher than American players.

Multiple Choice

In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a young boy named Huck runs away from home with a slave named Jim. They head north so Jim can be free. While traveling together, Huck begins to feel guilty. He knows it's against the law to help escaped slaves. Huck thinks about turning Jim in, but he also thinks about what a good friend Jim has been. He wants Jim to be a free man, so they keep going.

What is the MAIN IDEA of this passage?

• Huck learns that sometimes a good friend is worth taking risks for.

• Huck realizes that people who break laws almost always feel guilty.

• Huck understands that slavery is bad so it's okay to break the law.

Multiple Choice

Honeybees travel up to four miles to find nectar to make honey. When a bee finds nectar, it does a wiggle dance to tell the other bees where the nectar is. Other worker bees head to the nectar source. All in all, a hive of bees can travel up to 55,000 miles and visit 2,000,000 plants just to produce one pound of honey.

• Honey is made from nectar.

• Honeybees are hard workers.

• Honeybees like to dance.

Multiple Choice

In 1939, the World's Fair was held in New York City. People came from all over the world to see new "World of Tomorrow" products. Machines that washed dishes! Telephones that called long distance! Refrigerators that made ice! And even a radio with pictures--called a TV! People living in 1939 were excited about many of the things we now take for granted.

• "World of Tomorrow" products are now those we use every day.

• "World of Tomorrow" products were unpopular at the World's Fair.

• The 1939 World's Fair was held in New York City.

Multiple Choice

In July 1996, Subaru Takahashi left Japan in a 30-foot sailboat. He hoped to become the youngest person to sail across the Pacific Ocean. In August, an engine failed, leaving him without lights. Then a violent storm hit, and his two-way radio broke. Despite these issues, Takahashi did not give up. After sailing for 54 days, the 14-year-old sailed into San Francisco Bay, ending his 6,000 mile journey. He had succeeded!

What is the MAIN IDEA of this passage?

• Subaru Takahashi overcame many obstacles to become the youngest person to sail across the Pacific Ocean.

• Subaru Takahashi left Japan in a sailboat in 1996.

• Subaru Takahashi spent 54 days sailing across the Pacific Ocean.

Multiple Choice

Okapis are animals not many people have ever heard of. They have black-and-white striped legs like zebras. These bright stripes help baby okapis follow their parents through the rain forest. An okapi's neck is fairly long, and its head is shaped like a giraffe's. Okapis are about as tall as zebras, but like giraffes, they have long blue tongues. Their tongues are so long they can lick their own ears!

What is the MAIN IDEA of this passage?

• Okapis are very similar to zebras.

• Okapis have long blue tongues that can reach their ears.

• Okapis share many features with both zebras and giraffes.

Multiple Choice

Not all endangered species are animals. Plants can also be in danger of disappearing forever. There are more than 500 endangered plants in the United States. Insects and animals depend on plants for survival, and plants supply food for humans as well. Many medicines are made from plants. Scientists are working hard to save endangered plants.

• Endangered plants are important and should be saved.

• Endangered plants are not as important to save as endangered animals.

• Insects and animals depend on plants for survival.

Multiple Choice

Emily Dickinson is one of the most famous poets in the world. If she was alive today, she would be very surprised to hear that she is so famous. Emily never tried to be famous. In fact, when she was 31 years old, she hid herself away from the world. She dressed in all white and refused to leave her home. Many thought she was mentally ill. Emily wrote 1,775 poems, but only a few of them were published during her lifetime. Most of these were found in a dresser drawer after her death in 1886.

What is the MAIN IDEA of this passage?

• Emily Dickinson did not care about being successful or famous.

• Emily Dickinson was more successful than she ever knew.

• Emily Dickinson wrote 1,775 poems.