Main Idea

Publishing Doctor Zhivago

Boris Pasternak's 1956 novel Doctor Zhivago tells the story of a Russian doctor living at the time of the 1917 Russian Revolution, which led to the establishment of the Soviet Union. Because the book dealt with hardships people faced after the revolution, publishers in the Soviet Union refused to release it, calling it anti-Soviet. Pasternak's solution was to have the book smuggled out of the Soviet Union and published in Europe. Though Soviet authorities tried to prevent it, the book was published in Italy in 1957 and was immediately well-received. In 1958, it was translated into English and went on to become one of the most popular novels of the 1950s.

What is the main idea of the passage?

• Boris Pasternak couldn't get his book Doctor Zhivago published in the Soviet Union, so he had the book smuggled out of the country.

• Doctor Zhivago showed the problems that Russians faced following the Russian Revolution, so it was considered anti-Soviet.

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.2

Making Towers Bird-Friendly

The lights on tall communication towers warn pilots to avoid the towers when flying at night. Unfortunately, the steady red lights often used on towers have the opposite effect on birds: the bright beams attract and confuse them. Instead of avoiding the lights, the birds fly directly toward them, crashing into the towers or becoming entangled in power lines. Millions of birds have died this way. However, there is a solution. Unlike steady lights, flashing or blinking lights don't attract birds. In response to demands from conservation groups, the Federal Aviation Administration in 2016 began requiring communication towers in the U.S. to use blinking lights instead of steady ones.

What is the main idea of the passage?

• To save birds, communication towers have begun using blinking lights.

• Birds are attracted to the steady red lights on communication towers.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.7.6

The Importance of Japan's Cherry Blossoms

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.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

Naming Pluto

When "Planet X" was discovered in 1930, astronomers began debating what to call it. An eleven-year-old girl named Venetia Burney suggested the name "Pluto" to her grandfather, who passed the idea along to a friend who was a professor of astronomy. The professor, in turn, immediately forwarded the suggestion to scientists at the Lowell Observatory, where the planet had been discovered. The astronomers appreciated the fact that Pluto was the ancient Romans' name for the god of the underworld, making it a fitting moniker for such a cold and distant celestial body. In addition, its first two letters matched the initials of Percival Lowell, the astronomer who first proposed the existence of Planet X. The matter was eventually put to a vote, with Pluto the hands-down winner.

What is the main idea of the passage?

• Pluto is a good name for a cold, distant planet because it is the name of the Roman god of the underworld.

• After an eleven-year-old girl suggested "Pluto," astronomers chose it as the name of a newly discovered planet.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

Pay Inequality

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.

• The U.S. women's soccer team was paid only $2 million for winning the World Cup title in 2014.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

Eat Carrots, See Better?

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?

• During World War II, the British government told the media that their pilots ate a lot of carrots.

• Because of a British media campaign, people thought that eating carrots would improve their night vision.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

What's Beneath Your Plane?

As Shane Loeffler, a geology student at the University of Minnesota, was flying home from Europe, he looked down at the landscape and began to wonder what he was flying over. He realized that a plane flight would be a good opportunity for people to learn about the geological features of the earth below them. As a result of this experience, with a grant from the National Science Foundation, he created a free app called Flyover Country. The app provides users with information on natural formations, man-made features like dams, and even where fossils can be found. The features are pinpointed on a map that corresponds to the landscape below the plane.

What is the main idea of the passage?

• Shane Loeffler's experience in a plane led him to create an app that would provide information to flyers about the land below them.

• Shane Loeffler's plane flight home from Europe led him to think about the geological features of the land below him.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

AC vs. DC

In the 1880s, the War of the Currents began. Thomas Edison developed direct current, or DC, a type of electricity that flows in one direction. By 1887, DC was in use around the United States. It had some drawbacks, though. Converting it to lower or higher voltages was difficult; that is, the current's force couldn't be changed easily. Transmitted at the low voltage needed for use in homes and businesses, it lost power after traveling only a mile. Meanwhile, Nikola Tesla was working with alternating current, or AC. AC reverses direction many times per second and can be changed to different voltages. At high voltage, it can be transmitted efficiently, traveling hundreds of miles with little energy loss. Because of its advantages, AC triumphed by the end of the nineteenth century.

What is the main idea of the passage?

• AC has distinct advantages over DC, so AC won the War of the Currents.

• AC reverses direction and can be converted to lower or higher voltage.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

Saving the Rhinos

Poachers in Africa are killing large numbers of rhinos for their horns. Rhinoceros horns, valued for use in traditional medicines in Vietnam and China, can fetch as much as thirty-six thousand dollars a pound. Officials have tried to protect the rhinos: they have created fenced areas for the animals, patrolled their habitats, and even tried removing their horns. Despite these efforts, the number of rhinos in Africa has been dwindling. One creative solution to the poaching problem is to remove the rhinos from Africa altogether. Ray Dearlove, the founder of the Australian Rhino Project, came up with a plan to relocate eighty rhinos to a safari park outside Adelaide, Australia, where a breeding herd can be established.

What is the main idea of the passage?

• Officials have tried to protect African rhinos from poachers by guarding their habitats and removing their horns, but their efforts have been largely unsuccessful.

• Because other attempts to protect African rhinos from poachers have failed, the Australian Rhino Project is relocating the rhinos to Australia.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

The Evolving Human Skeleton

Our early ancestors were hunter-gatherers who obtained food by hunting and by searching for edible wild plants. They needed strong bones, including large, strong jaws that enabled them to eat tough, uncooked foods. When our ancestors developed agriculture, however, their diet changed. They began growing plants, such as grains and beans, and raising animals for food; they also started cooking their foods, making them softer and easier to chew. Consequently, the human skeleton underwent radical changes. Over time, the human jaw became smaller and changed shape. Other bones also evolved, becoming lighter, especially in the joints, as result of both dietary changes and a less active lifestyle.

What is the main idea of the passage?

• As early humans developed agriculture, their bones changed significantly.

• Early humans ate uncooked meats and vegetables, so they needed strong jaws for chewing.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2