The Navajo Indians have greatly increased in numbers in the last one hundred years. One hundred years ago there were about six thousand Navajo. Today there are fifteen times that many Navajo Indians - ninety thousand. Today the Navajo is the biggest Indian tribe. What is the main idea?

How much the Navajo tribe has grown

What the life of Navajo Indians is like

Someday we will all have robots that will be our personal servants. They will look and behave much like real humans. We will be able to talk to these mechanical helpers and they will be able to respond in kind! Amazingly, the robots of the future will be able to learn from experience. They will be smart, strong, and untiring workers whose only goal will be to make our lives easier. What is this selection mainly about?

Someday we will have robots that will be our personal servants.

We will be able to talk to robots and they will be able to respond.

You should give up if you are the Robots will look and behave much like real humans.

Amazingly, the robots of the future will be able to learn from experience.

Earthquakes are caused when the plates of the Earth's crust move. Earthquakes happen along "fault lines" in the earth’s crust. When the plates in the Earth suddenly shift, the Earth will begin to shift, shake or tremble.

Earthquakes are caused when the plates of the Earth's crust move.

Earthquakes occur on "fault lines."

Earthquakes cause a lot of damage.

Seated on his throne, King Midas wore a golden crown. He had golden rings on each finger and held a golden scepter. His vest was embroidered with golden thread and even his shoes had golden ornaments. He had a golden box filled with gold coins. He named his daughter Marigold. What is the main idea of this paragraph?

King Midas had a heart of gold.

What does the MAIN IDEA of a story tell the reader?

The universal truth, moral, or idea the author wants to express

Some people say that the White House has ghosts. The most famous ghost is Abraham Lincoln. He is often seen standing in his room looking out the window. Even Eleanor Roosevelt said that she saw him. There is a legend that old Abe walks back and forth all night before something terrible is about to happen. This paragraph mainly tells:

when Eleanor Roosevelt's ghost walked

hwo many ghosts the White House has

how ghosts show when something will happen

Jenny visited her grandmother in the hospital. She saw how kind and helpful the nurses were to her grandmother. Now she wants to be a nurse when she grows up. She wants to help sick people get well. What is the main idea?

Her grandmother was in the hospital.

Jenny was glad the nurses were being kind to her grandmother.

Carson's older sister, Madison, is a very good student. She isn't satisfied to just get by in school. She is involved in extra activities at school, including the school's music program and the math club. She also always tries to answer the teacher's questions in class. What is the main idea of the paragraph?

How women were treated in the Madison is a very good student.

Famous female journalists in Madison was born before Carson.

Most of the world's volcanoes are part of the "The Ring of Fire." This is a ring of volcanoes that form a circle around the Pacific Ocean. Thousands of volcanoes make up "The Ring of Fire." These volcanoes formed the sea floor and many underwater mountains.

Most volcanoes are part of the "Ring of Fire."

There are thousands of volcanoes in the world.

Some underwater mountains are volcanoes.

A bat can fly at night or even with its eyes closed. But if you cover its ears, it can't fly very well. Bats make sounds that people can't hear. The bats find their way by listening to these sounds as they echo off things. Bats even locate insects to eat by following the sounds that bounce off the bugs. People use their eyes, but bats use their ears to know where they're going. This paragraph mainly tells:

what things bats often eat as food

how people can hear the sounds of bats

Dolphins are very smart animals. They even have their own language. They talk to each other with clicks, whistles, and grunts. Scientists have been studying this dolphin language. They hope that in the future, people and dolphins will be able to talk to each other.This paragraph mainly tells:

how dolpins are different from fish

which scientists are studying languages

In 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright were the first people to successfully fly an airplane. As children, the brothers enjoyed building and tinkering with things. Later, they owned printing and bicycle making businesses. The skills and money made from these businesses helped them create several aircrafts during the 1890’s. Finally, in 1903, the Wright brothers successfully flew the first controlled airplane at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

The Wright brothers were the first to fly.

What the weather is like at Kitty Hawk, NC

What the first airplane looked like

Sharks can lose up to 30,000 teeth in their lifetime. Sharks have teeth arranged in rows inside their mouths. These teeth do not have roots like human teeth do, so they fall out easily. When a shark takes a powerful bite into its food, several teeth are lost. When these teeth are lost, new ones push forward from the back rows to replace them. Luckily, sharks continually grow new teeth to replace the thousands they lose.

Sharks lose many teeth over their lifetime.

Sharks are carnivorous predators.

Sending mail on the Pony Express was once the fastest way to keep in contact with someone living across the country. The Pony Express was a mail delivery service from Missouri to California in 1860. Men riding horses and carrying saddlebags of mail, newspapers, and packages traveled the 1,900 mile route in about ten days. Once telegraph service was invented, the Pony Express was no longer needed.

How much the Pony Express deliveries cost

How many horses were on the Pony Express

Animals and plants living in deserts have adaptations which enable them to survive there. Desert plants have little or no leaves where moisture can escape. They also have deep roots to soak up water underground. Many desert animals are nocturnal. They burrow in the soil or sand during the hottest part of the day and are active at night when it is cooler. Desert animals also survive by getting the water they need from desert plants.

How animals and plants survive in deserts

How much it rains in the desert

Types of animals living in deserts

Did you know that the Statue of Liberty was once brown instead of green? The Statue of Liberty is made of copper, a shiny brown metal. Over time, the Statue of Liberty changed to a pale green color because of a chemical reaction called oxidation. As the statue was exposed to air and water, oxidation occurred. The statue became covered in a thin, green layer. This green layer actually protects the statue from further damage by weather.

How the Statue of Liberty changed color

Where the Statue of Liberty is located

There are several ways to tell the difference between an alligator and a crocodile. Crocodiles are bigger than alligators and have pointed snouts. Alligators have wide snouts. Wild crocodiles are found all over the world, but wild alligators are only found in the United States and China. Another way to tell the difference is to look at their mouths. When a crocodile’s mouth is closed, the fourth tooth sticks out of its mouth.

Differences in crocodiles and alligators

Dangers of crocodiles and alligators

Hand sanitizers can be a good substitute for washing your hands when soap and water are not available. To kill germs, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Pour about a dimesized drop of hand sanitizer on your hands. Then, rub your hands together for 3o seconds to help the hand sanitizer begin its work.

How germs are spread in hospitals

Floods can cause tremendous damage. They can ruin houses, roads and buildings. Floods can take down trees and cause mudslides. It often leaves mud, sand and debris behind. It can take months to clean up after a flood.

Floods can cause a lot of damage.

Floods damage houses and roads.

Do you ever wonder how you taste things? You owe your sense of taste to your taste buds. We have 9,000 taste buds just on the tongue alone. There are also taste buds on the roof of your mouth. You even have taste buds on the back of your throat. What does the author want you to learn from the passage?

Why we can taste only certain things.

That we taste through our noses

We have taste buds on our tongues

Many people have not heard giraffes make noises. Giraffes do not use sounds to “talk” with each other. When hurt, giraffes make a low moo, something like a cow. When frightened, they make a short, high sound. What is the main idea?

Cows and giraffes talk to each other.

Lots of people have heard giraffes talk.

Were you born after 1985? If so, how long do you expect to live? Most people born after 1985 can expect to live more than 70 years. Of course, this is just a guess based on past records. By the way, females can expect to live about six years longer than males. That’s taken from past records too! What is the paragraph mostly about?

how long you might expect to live

tells that people live to be 100

Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Brown are bakers. They work at a store called Bake Goods to Go. Mrs. Jones works nights. She bakes cakes, cookies, and pies. Mrs. Brown works in the daytime. She bakes bread and rolls. Both Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Brown are very good bakers. What is the main idea?

Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Brown are bakers

They work at a store called Bake Goods to Go.

Main Idea

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3rd - 4th Grade

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40 questions

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MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

15 mins • 1 pt

Mark wanted to be a great skater. But he didn't want to spend the hours practicing. He wished he could just do the tricks easily. Mark's dream was to have everyone stop and stare when he entered the skate park. He wanted them to say, "Mark is the best skater in the whole world."
What is the main idea?

Mark wants everyone to think he's a great skater without doing the hard work.

Mark practices very hard to become a great skater.

Mark is the best skater at the park.

Mark wants to learn how to skate so he can compete.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RI.2.2

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

15 mins • 1 pt

If you are feeling sad, you can make yourself feel better by doing a few simple things. You can take a walk (or get another form of exercise), you can talk to a friend, or you can write down your feelings. Writing down the good things in your life will help too. Doing something good for someone else will also help you feel better. If you still feel a little sad, act happy. It works like magic to make you feel better!
What is the main idea?

Sometimes people feel sad.

You should do good things for others.

We're not always happy.

There are many ways to make yourself feel better.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

15 mins • 1 pt

Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer. Soccer players learn how to dribble and pass the ball. They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score. Most importantly, soccer players learn how to work together with their teammates.
What is the main idea?

They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score.

Soccer players learn how to dribble.

They learn how to work together as teammates.

Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

15 mins • 1 pt

Tom started to reel in his line. The fish tugged and pulled hard. Judging by the weight of his catch, this fish could feed his family for three days. Tom struggled to stay in the boat and not be pulled over the side. Finally his catch came into view. He had snagged a snapping turtle!
What is the main idea?

Tom finds enough food for his family.

Tom gets pulled out of his boat by a huge fish.

Tom didn't catch anything.

Tom catches a snapping turtle while fishing.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RI.2.2

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

15 mins • 1 pt

John and Matt want to be firemen. They want to ride on the big fire truck. John wants to climb ladders and rescue people from fires. Matt wants to hold the big hose and spray water on the fires to put them out.
What is the main idea?

John wants to climb a ladder.

John and Matt want to be firemen

Matt wants to hold a fire hose.

They want to ride on the big fire truck.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

5 mins • 1 pt

Benjamin Franklin loved the city of Philadelphia. He started the city’s first hospital and fire department. Ben also started Philadelphia’s first public library. Benjamin Franklin worked very hard to make Philadelphia a better place to live.

Benjamin Franklin worked hard to make his city a great
place to live.

Benjamin Franklin worked for the fire department.

Benjamin Franklin knew a lot about books.

Benjamin Franklin went to school in Philedelphia.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RI.4.9

CCSS.RI.5.9

CCSS.RI.6.2

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

15 mins • 1 pt

I can't wait until this weekend! We’re going to my grandparents’ house and my entire family will be there. I will spend most of my time playing games with my cousins. We always have such a good time together! The day goes by so fast, and by the end we are all exhausted... but we still don’t want to leave!
What is the main idea?

Weekends are times to travel.

The author enjoys spending time with her family.

The author's grandparents live far away.

The author is sad to leave her cousins.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

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Main Idea

Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer. Soccer players learn how to dribble and pass the ball. They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score. Most importantly, soccer players learn how to work together with their teammates.
What is the main idea?

John and Matt want to be firemen. They want to ride on the big fire truck. John wants to climb ladders and rescue people from fires. Matt wants to hold the big hose and spray water on the fires to put them out.
What is the main idea?

Benjamin Franklin loved the city of Philadelphia. He started the city’s first hospital and fire department. Ben also started Philadelphia’s first public library. Benjamin Franklin worked very hard to make Philadelphia a better place to live.

The reader should determine the main idea BEFORE reading the passage.

What text features can give you a clue of what the main idea is?

The main idea is supported by what?

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Discover more resources for English

Main Idea

Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer. Soccer players learn how to dribble and pass the ball. They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score. Most importantly, soccer players learn how to work together with their teammates. What is the main idea?

John and Matt want to be firemen. They want to ride on the big fire truck. John wants to climb ladders and rescue people from fires. Matt wants to hold the big hose and spray water on the fires to put them out.What is the main idea?

Benjamin Franklin loved the city of Philadelphia. He started the city’s first hospital and fire department. Ben also started Philadelphia’s first public library. Benjamin Franklin worked very hard to make Philadelphia a better place to live.

The reader should determine the main idea BEFORE reading the passage.

What text features can give you a clue of what the main idea is?

The main idea is supported by what?

Access all questions and much more by creating a free account

Similar Resources on Wayground

Popular Resources on Wayground

Discover more resources for English

Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer. Soccer players learn how to dribble and pass the ball. They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score. Most importantly, soccer players learn how to work together with their teammates.
What is the main idea?

John and Matt want to be firemen. They want to ride on the big fire truck. John wants to climb ladders and rescue people from fires. Matt wants to hold the big hose and spray water on the fires to put them out.
What is the main idea?