Main Idea

Rabbits and hares are not the same. Rabbits live together in burrows. Their babies are born blind and without fur. Hares live alone above the ground. Their babies are born with fur and are not blind. In addition, hares are usually bigger than rabbits.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• Hares are bigger than rabbits.

• Hares and rabbits are not the same.

• Rabbits live together in burrows

The ice cream cone was invented in 1904. It all started at the St. Louis World's fair when an ice cream vender ran out of dishes for his ice cream. A man named Ernest Hamwi was selling waffles in the booth next door. He helped his neighbor out by making cone shaped waffles to hold the ice cream. The rest, as they say, is history!

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• The ice cream cone was invented in 1904.

• They ran out of ice cream at the World's fair.

• Ice cream is a yummy treat.

Some types of roller coasters use magnets to make them stop. Strong magnets are put into both the coaster and he end of the track. As the coaster approaches the end of the track, the attracting forces of the magnets bring it to a gentle stop.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• Roller coasters stop at the end of the track.

• Some kinds of roller coasters use magnets to make them stop.

• Roller coasters are fun.

Julia Butterfly Hill lived in a giant Redwood tree for two years to keep it from being cut down. She climbed the tree, which was located in Northern California, on December 10, 1997. Many people helped her by bringing her food and supplies. She did not come down until the logging company promised never to cut the tree down.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• Julia Butterfly Hill lived in a giant Redwood tree for two years to keep it from being cut down.

• The logging company did not cut down the tree.

• The tree was located in Northern California

School children in Washington State are raising salmon! The Department of Fish and Wildlife gives each participating classroom 500 salmon eggs. When the eggs hatch, the children care for the baby salmon and learn about their lifestyle. When the salmon are big enough, the class goes on a fieldtrip to release the salmon into a stream or river.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• Each class gets 500 salmon eggs.

• School children in Washington State are raising salmon.

• The salmon are released into streams and rivers.

Giant pandas are losing their habitats. Giant pandas live in bamboo forests in China. The average giant panda eats about 30 pounds of bamboo each day. Unfortunately, the forests are being cut down and the giant panda is endangered.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• Giant pandas eat a lot of bamboo.

• Giant pandas live in China.

• Giant pandas are losing their habitats.

Incense cedar wood is perfect for pencils. Unlike many other kinds of wood, it does not break easily, but is soft enough to be sharpened without splintering. It also won't bend or warp in hot temperatures. Incense cedar trees are grown in California and Oregon.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• Incense cedar wood is perfect or making pencils.

• Incense cedar trees are grown in California and Oregon.

• Incense cedar wood will not splinter when sharpened.

You can tell if an egg is hard-boiled by spinning it. Lay an egg on its side and try to make it spin. If it is not hard-boiled, the shifting liquid inside will make it spin poorly. If it is hard-boiled, the solid inside will make it spin faster and longer.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• The shifting liquid inside makes it hard to spin.

• A hard-boiled egg will spin faster and longer.

• You can tell if an egg is hard-boiled by spinning it.

Did you know that the idea for Velcro came from nature? One day in Switzerland a man named George de Mestral decided to take his dog for a walk. When he got back to his house, he saw that there were many small burrs clinging to his dog's fur. He examined under a microscope how the burrs were sticking, and ended up using what the saw to invent Velcro?

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• The idea for Velcro came from nature.

• Burrs were clinging to the dog's fur.

• George de Mestral invented Velcro.

The Atacama Desert is the driest place on Earth. It is located on a plateau in northern Chile. It almost never rains in the Atacama Desert. In fact, there are some areas of the desert where rainfall has never been recorded. The average yearly rainfall in the Atacama is just one millimeter.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• The Atacama Desert is in Northern Chile.

• The Atacama Desert is the driest place on Earth.

• Rainfall has never been recorded in some parts of the Atacama Desert.