Main idea

Dogs, especially sniffer dogs, have a far better sense of smell than humans because their smell receptors are much longer than those in human noses. Human noses differ from person to person, but they can affect the way a person tastes food. Sniffer dogs are used by police and security personnel throughout the world to detect drugs in airports and other busy places. They are specially trained and can pick up even the lightest scents of drugs or firearms.

This passage is mostly about

• drug sniffing dogs

• airport security.

• human noses.

• smell receptors.

Junípero Serra was a Spanish Franciscan missionary in North America. His name was originally Miguel José Serra, and Junípero was his name in religion. For 15 years he taught philosophy in the college at Palma. In 1749, he was sent to America with Francisco Palou, his lifelong friend and biographer, and proceeded to Mexico City, where he taught briefly at the College of San Fernando. For three years he worked successfully among the Native Americans of the Sierra Gorda and then returned to Mexico City for seven more years, working half of each year in the surrounding villages.

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Which sentence could be added to the passage to support the main idea?

• Mexico City is built on the ruins of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlán.

• In 1769, Serra went with the second expedition to California.

• Next year, my family will take a vacation to Mexico City.

• Mother Teresa is another famous missionary.

Some people think that listening to country music is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Others would much rather jam out to hip-hop or rap music. And, of course, there will always be those who think rock music is king. Even though most people have the opportunity to listen to many types of music, they usually end up with a favorite. No one knows exactly why people have particular music tastes. Of course, the environment has something to do with it. If a girl’s big brother loves hip-hop, then she will often hear it. She may end up liking it, or she may end up hating it. People often say, “There is just no arguing taste.” In the case of music, this is definitely true.

Which of these sentences from the paragraph supports the idea that no one knows what causes a person's musical tastes?

• "Some people think that listening to country music is one of life's greatest pleasures."

• "Others would much rather jam out to hip-hop or rap music."

• "If a girl's big brother loves hip-hop, then she will often hear it."

• "She may end up liking it, or she may end up hating it."

In 1972, five men broke into offices of the Democratic Party in Washington, D.C. Members of the media and Congress connected the burglary to members of President Nixon's reelection campaign. Nixon and his staff denied the accusations and committed illegal acts to hide the truth. As the House of Representatives debated impeaching Nixon, he resigned in disgrace rather than face a vote of impeachment. This episode will forever be known as the Watergate scandal; named after the office building that was burglarized.

What is this paragraph mostly about?

• the Watergate scandal

• President Nixon

• the U.S. Congress

• Impeachment

During World War I, many soldiers died because their wounds became infected. Antibiotics had not been discovered at that time. During World War II, many more soldiers died while in combat. Antibiotics are used to treat infections because they kill bacteria in the body. They are easily the most widely prescribed drug in the world.

What is this passage mostly about?

• World War I

• soldiers

• bacteria

• antibiotics

What is the main idea?

• the least important idea

• the most important idea

• a prediction

• anyone's ideas

All About Polar Bears: Adaptations

Polar bears have adapted to their cold Arctic environment. Their fur has hollow hairs filled with air, which provides insulation so that they can live on the ice and swim in frigid water. Since polar bears spend more time in the sea than on land, they have webbed front paws to help them swim.

What is the main idea?

• Polar bears live in the Arctic.

• Polar bear fur is made up of hollow hairs.

• Polar bears have adapted to their environment.

• Polar bears have webbed front paws.

Rediscovering an Old Art

These days, learning to quilt is not often passed down from one generation to the next. Some people, though, have taken a new interest in quilting. Many learn to quilt through books and classes. People are discovering what those from past generations knew—that quilting can be difficult but worth the effort.

What is the implied main idea of this passage?

• People can take classes to learn to quilt.

• Making quilts takes many hours.

• Quilting is an old-fashioned art.

• Quilting is becoming popular again.

What are supporting details?

• italicized words

• paragraphs

• the central idea

• words, phrases, or sentences that tell more about the main idea

What is author's purpose?

• reason for writing

• author's purpose

• facts and statistics

• text examples