Finding the Central Idea

Though forks were first used in China thousands of years ago, it took a long time for them to make their way to what is now the United States. 
Ancient Greeks began using forks after the Chinese. However, they did not use forks for eating. They used them for serving food. From Greece, forks moved to the Roman Empire. Romans first used long forks for cooking and serving. By the 300s, they began using table forks to feed themselves. 
The table fork spread from there to what is now the Middle East and Turkey, before arriving in Italy and becoming popular in the 1000s. It stayed popular in southern Europe, but was not used much in northern Europe until it first became popular in France and Spain in the 1700s. 
The table fork arrived in England from France before making its way to the North American colonies, where it first became popular shortly before the American Revolution.

• The fork changed after arriving in the Roman Empire.
• Roman forks were longer than Greek and Chinese forks.

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CCSS.RI.6.2

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Most people think that gorillas are mean, but actually they are shy. It seems that such a huge animal with very large teeth would be aggressive. Hollywood movies help convey this image of the scary, ferocious gorilla. In fact, gorillas only attack if they are provoked. 
This author belives that:

• Gorillas are misunderstood as vicious animals.
• Gorillas are mean animals
• Gorillas don't like other animals.

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CCSS.RI.6.9

CCSS.RI.7.6

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Native Americans dried strips of meat, pounded it into a paste, and then mixed it with fat. Sometimes they added berries and sugar. Then they pressed it into small cakes. They called these cakes pemmican. Pemmican didn't spoil, and it provided lots of energy for people traveling or going hunting. 
This passage is mainly about?

• who uses pemmican today
• what can be put into pemmican
• how pemmican was made by Native Americans

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CCSS.RI.6.2

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"Are you already done?" his father asked. "It seems like you just got in the water." Jacob was finished with his bath in two minutes. He got his body and hair wet, rubbed  shampoo on his hair, washed his body with soap, and rinsed off. He liked fast baths so to have more time to play. In fact, Jacob never took a long bath. To him, the faster the bath, the better.
What is the central idea of the passage?

• Jacob is very clean
• Jacob never too showers
• Jacob likes to take fast baths

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CCSS.RI.7.2

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CCSS.RL.6.2

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Shuttle Endeavour will thunder into orbit this week with an American flag on its right wing. The ship will carry its most international crew ever launched. The spaceship is headed for the International Space Station. Four Americans are on board, along with Russian, Canadian, and Italian astronauts. This multinational crew will be symbolic of those who will work and live on the growing outpost. The station is a joint project of 16 nations on four continents.

This passage is mostly about?

• the American flag on the space shuttle's wing.
• the brand new International Space Station.
• the Russian aboard the American space shuttle.
• the cultural crew aboard the space shuttle.

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CCSS.RI.7.2

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School uniforms are far cheaper than the currently popular fashions. Many students work long hours at a paying job instead of doing homework because they feel they have to "keep up appearances." If students wore uniforms, there would be no need for most of them to have jobs that take away from their study time.

This passage is mostly about?

• popular fashions being expensive
• school uniforms being a good idea.
• students working many hours at jobs.
• teens enjoying wearing uniforms.

Tags

CCSS.RI.8.2

It's no surprise that exercise increases energy. The physical challenge prepares your body in a variety of ways. Blood sugar is more quickly converted to fuel, more oxygen is supplied to your cells, and fight-or-flight hormones are released. Instead of leaving you exhausted, exercise energizes. Do it in the morning for an all-day high or later in the afternoon for a pick-me-up.

This passage is mostly about?

• Exercise increases your energy.
• Exercise is easier than it looks.
• Everyone should exercise daily.
• Exercise makes you live longer.

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CCSS.RI.7.2

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Camp David is a secure location where the President can get away from it all. Established in 1942 by President Roosevelt, Camp David is located in Maryland, about 70 miles from Washington, D.C. in a heavily wooded area. U.S. Marines patrol the area providing optimal security. The Marines are part of the Navy. Because Camp David is so close to Washington, the president can be back at the White House very quickly in the event of a crisis.

This passage is mostly about?

• U.S. Marines
• The president
• Washington, D.C.
• Camp David

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CCSS.RI.6.2

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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 mainly about?

• bacteria
• soldiers
• World War I
• antibiotics

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CCSS.RI.6.2

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Most people want to think that they are in control of their pets. However, a study by Karen McComb at the University of Sussex found that cat owners are controlled by their cats. Cat owners probably won’t have too much trouble believing this. Cats make a fairly loud noise by mixing a purr with a cry. The sound seems to be less annoying to humans than straight meowing. Using this sound, cats tell humans when they want to eat and when they want the door opened. The purr part of the sound keeps humans from becoming too annoyed, so the cat gets exactly what he or she wants.

Which sentence from the paragraph supports the idea that cats have a smart way of getting what they want? 

• "Most people want to think that they are in control of their pets."
• "The purr part of the sound keeps humans from becoming too annoyed."
• "Cat owners probably won't have too much trouble believing this."
• "Cats make a fairly loud noise by mixing a purr with a cry."

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CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

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