Finding the Main IDea

A penny for your thoughts? If it’s a 1943 copper penny, it could be worth as much as fifty thousand dollars. In 1943, most pennies were made out of steel since copper was needed for World War II, so the 1943 copper penny is ultra-rare. Another rarity is the 1955 double die penny. These pennies were mistakenly double stamped, so they have overlapping dates and letters. If it’s uncirculated, it’d easily fetch $25,000 at an auction. Now that’s a pretty penny.

What is the main idea of this passage?

• there used to be copper in pennies

• copper pennies are prettier pennies

• some pennies are more rare due to special features

• a 1943 penny is most valuable

A penny for your thoughts? If it’s a 1943 copper penny, it could be worth as much as fifty thousand dollars. In 1943, most pennies were made out of steel since copper was needed for World War II, so the 1943 copper penny is ultra-rare. Another rarity is the 1955 double die penny. These pennies were mistakenly double stamped, so they have overlapping dates and letters. If it’s uncirculated, it’d easily fetch $25,000 at an auction. Now that’s a pretty penny.

Which is a supporting detail for the main idea you chose?

• World War II was in the 1940s

• Pennies are not as pretty as the used to be

• Pennies from 1955 were double stamped and have overlapping letters and dates that make them more valuable

• Your thoughts are worth a penny

Before you put on that Angry Birds costume and exhaust yourself roving from door to door pandering for candy, take a minute to reflect on the tradition in which you are taking part. Halloween is believed to have come from an ancient Celtic festival dating back some 2,000 years. November 1st was the Celtic New Year and marked the end of summer to the Celts, so they celebrated on its eve by wearing costumes made of animal skins and dancing around bon fires. Over the next two millennia, this primitive celebration grew to be candy fueled costume ball that we know today.

What is the main idea?

• Angry Bird costumes are no longer cool

• There is rich history to the tradition of Halloween

• We celebrate Halloween on October 31

• Halloween is all about candy

Before you put on that Angry Birds costume and exhaust yourself roving from door to door pandering for candy, take a minute to reflect on the tradition in which you are taking part. Halloween is believed to have come from an ancient Celtic festival dating back some 2,000 years. November 1st was the Celtic New Year and marked the end of summer to the Celts, so they celebrated on its eve by wearing costumes made of animal skins and dancing around bon fires. Over the next two millennia, this primitive celebration grew to be candy fueled costume ball that we know today.

What is one supporting detail for the main idea?

• Halloween is believed to have come from an ancient Celtic festival dating back some 2,000 years.

• Before you put on that Angry Birds costume and exhaust yourself roving from door to door pandering for candy, take a minute to reflect on the tradition in which you are taking par

• Halloween is a costume ball.

• Halloween has evolved over time.

When one hears the term “reality” applied to a television show, one might expect that the events portrayed occurred naturally or, at the least, were not scripted, but this is not always the case. Many reality shows occur in unreal environments, like rented mansions occupied by film crews. Such living environments do not reflect what most people understand to be “reality.” Worse, there have been accusations that events not captured on film were later restaged by producers. Worse still, some involved in the production of “reality” television claim that the participants were urged to act out story lines premeditated by producers. With such accusations floating around, it’s no wonder many people take reality TV to be about as real as the sitcom.

What is the main idea?

• Reality TV isn't as real as it seems.

• Sometimes producers stage scenes on shows.

• Reality TV shows are often filmed in mansions.

• People don't know what they're getting into when they agree to go on a reality TV show.

When one hears the term “reality” applied to a television show, one might expect that the events portrayed occurred naturally or, at the least, were not scripted, but this is not always the case. Many reality shows occur in unreal environments, like rented mansions occupied by film crews. Such living environments do not reflect what most people understand to be “reality.” Worse, there have been accusations that events not captured on film were later restaged by producers. Worse still, some involved in the production of “reality” television claim that the participants were urged to act out story lines premeditated by producers. With such accusations floating around, it’s no wonder many people take reality TV to be about as real as the sitcom.

Which is NOT a supporting detail from the text?

• Many reality shows occur in unreal environments, like rented mansions occupied by film crews

• there have been accusations that events not captured on film were later restaged by producers.

• some involved in the production of “reality” television claim that the participants were urged to act out story lines premeditated by producers

• With such accusations floating around, it’s no wonder many people take reality TV to be about as real as the sitcom.