Identifying main idea in short passage

Native people in early North America liked to play games. Their favorite games were played with a stick and a ball, like a lacrosse. In lacrosse, the rule is that you can't touch the ball with your hands. You catch the ball in a net on the end of a stick and use the stick to throw the ball.

• Native people in early North America liked to play games.

• Their favorite games were played with a stick and a ball, like a lacrosse.

• You catch the ball in a net on the end of a stick and use the stick to throw the ball.

• In lacrosse, the rule is that you can't touch the ball with your hands.

Alex scored 8 points for his baseball team. He struck out 5 players. He hit 2 home runs and drove in 6 more runs. Alex was declared the Most Valuable Player of the game.

• He hit 2 home runs and drove in 6 more runs.

• Alex was declared the Most Valuable Player of the game.

• Alex scored 8 points for his baseball team.

• He struck out 5 players.

Jenny visited her grandmother in the hospital. She saw how kind and helpful the nurses were to her grandmother. Now she wants to be a nurse when she grows up. She wants to help sick people get well.

• Jenny got sick.

• Jenny wants to be a nurse.

• Her grandmother was in the hospital.

• Jenny was glad the nurses were being kind to her grandmother.

The frog sat on the side of the pond. He was very still. His green color made him hard to see. A bug flew near him. His tongue zipped out, and he gobbled it up. Then the frog was still again. He waited for the next bug.

• Frogs are green.

• Frogs eat bugs.

• Frogs do not move.

• Frogs live in ponds.

Many people have not heard giraffes make noises. Giraffes do not use sounds to “talk” with each other. When hurt, giraffes make a low moo, something like a cow. When frightened, they make a short, high sound.

• Giraffes do make noises

• Giraffes talk all the time.

• Cows and giraffes talk to each other.

• Lots of people have heard giraffes talk.

When you think of bands, you may think of a famous pop or rock music group. They represent one kind of band. There are actually a variety of bands that we can enjoy. Marching bands often perform in parades. Concert bands perform indoors, seated. Brass bands are often formed in the military. Then there is what we call "Big Band" music; this is large dance or jazz band music from the era of the mid-twentieth century. A garage band is a group of musicians that practice in someone's garage! The main idea in this passage is:

• Most of us think bands are for pop or rock music.

• A group of musicians who practice in someone's garage are a garage band.

• Marching bands perform in parades.

• There are actually a variety of bands.

If you are feeling blue, what do you do? Perhaps you enjoy being sad. Maybe you would rather be happy. When you feel sad, you can make yourself feel better. All you have to do is get some exercise and get some sleep. You should have at least one good friend. Doing good deeds will help. Writing in a diary about the good things in your life will help too. If you still feel a little sad, act happy. It works like magic to make you feel better!

• Magic works to make you feel better.

• You should have at least one good friend.

• Some people like to be sad.

• When you feel sad, you can make yourself feel better.

Mr. Dean and Mr. Burow are entertained by many movies. As a matter of fact, they often quote movies to each other and to students. One of their favorite movies is Dumb and Dumber. They will often refer to this movie when talking about something that happened at school. Another movie that they both enjoy is Roadhouse. Like Dumb and Dumber, they often quote this movie. It's clear that Mr. Dean and Mr. Burow enjoy many of the same movies.

• Mr. Dean and Mr. Burow watch movies together.

• Mr. Dean and Mr. Burow enjoy and like the same movies.

• Mr. Dean and Mr. Burow are always quoting movies.

• Mr. Dean and Mr. Burow have dissimilar taste in movies.

Floods can cause tremendous damage. They can ruin houses, roads and buildings. Floods can take down trees and cause mudslides. It often leaves mud, sand and debris behind. It can take months to clean up after a flood.

• Floods can cause a lot of damage.

• Floods cause mudslides.

• Floods damage houses and roads.

• Floods take months to clean up.

One the most popular musical instruments is the piano. In the traditional musical instrument classification system of string, woodwind, percussion and brass, the piano falls into two categories. It is considered a string instrument because the sound comes from the strings inside the piano. It is also considered a percussion instrument, since the player strikes the keyboard, which signals an internal hammer to strike the strings.

• The piano is both a string and percussion instrument.

• The piano is a string instrument.

• The piano is a popular instrument.

• The strings of a piano makes the sound.