Determine the Main Idea 2

When Heidi Transformed Televised Football

On November 17, 1968, football fans across the United States sat glued to their televisions. A close game between two top teams—the New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders—was being broadcast. When the Jets pulled ahead with only fifty seconds remaining, viewers went wild. But then, just as the Raiders were bringing the ball across midfield, the game disappeared from the screen! In its place, a previously scheduled children's movie, Heidi, started playing. Callers flooded the TV network's phone lines, but it was too late. The Raiders scored two touchdowns in the very final moments—touchdowns that were unseen by all but West Coast viewers. As a result of the interrupted event, dubbed "the Heidi game," television networks began delaying their regularly scheduled programs until football games had ended.

What is the main idea of the passage?

• After Heidi interrupted a crucial moment during a televised football game, the TV network received numerous calls from angry viewers who were unable to watch the final moments of the game.

• After Heidi interrupted a crucial moment during a televised football game, networks began to delay regularly scheduled shows until football games were over.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

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CCSS.RL.8.2

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?

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

• In spite of their success and popularity, members of the U.S. women's soccer team are paid significantly less than their male counterparts.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

To Stand or Not to Stand?

In 2016, Vallecito Elementary School in San Rafael, California, became the first U.S. school to replace all of its ordinary desks with raised desks that students stand at. Speaking to a reporter from TIME for Kids magazine, one student at the school gave the standing desks high praise. "You feel happier, you're less tired, and you're more active," she said. According to several studies, children working at standing desks burn more calories and are more focused on tasks. However, some teachers and parents are opposed to the change. They are concerned that standing for long periods of time could cause fatigue, strain on the legs and feet, or posture problems. In addition, standing desks are more expensive than seated desks. Only time will tell whether standing desks will prove to be the next big trend or a failed experiment.

What is the main idea of the passage?

• Studies have shown that standing desks help students focus on their schoolwork while being more active.

• Some people say that standing desks promote good study habits, but others are wary about the new desks.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RI.6.2

April Fools' Days Around the World

April Fools' Day is celebrated around the world, although it varies somewhat from country to country. In the United States, for example, it's a day to play practical jokes. In France, where the holiday is known as Poisson d'Avril, or April Fish, people secretly tape paper fish on their friends' backs. A common April Fools' prank in Portugal is to throw flour on someone; in Scotland, the most popular trick involves sending someone on a useless errand. Denmark celebrates April Fools' Day on April 1, but some people there celebrate again in May. Maj-kat, on May 1, is yet another day for jokes and pranks in the spring.

What is the main idea of the passage?

• On Poisson d'Avril, France's version of what Americans call April Fool's Day, pranksters tape paper fish to people's backs.

• Though there are variations in how different countries observe April Fools' Day, the celebrations all involve playing pranks.

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RI.6.2

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?

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

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

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2