Main Idea & Key Details

Which sentence is a supporting detail that recycling is important?

• There are many landfills available for waste.
• Recycling paper saves trees from being cut down.
• Clean jars before recycling them.
• Separate your paper, cans, and glass jars before recycling.

Which supporting detail best supports this topic sentence?
It takes a lot of hard work to become a professional athlete. 

• The pros live the good life.
• People like professional football players make a lot of money.
• Professional athletes spend countless hours practicing their sports.
• All of us can be professional athletes. 

Which sentence is a key/supporting detail that you should get enough sleep each night?

• Dark rooms are best for sleeping

• Seven to nine hours of sleep each night keeps you refreshed the next day

• Many people sleep longer during the weekends

• Caffeine keeps some people awake at night

Which supporting detail best supports this topic sentence?
Subway is a healthier option than McDonald's.

• It's best to just cook food at home.
• A lot of people choose to eat Subway for lunch and dinner.
• McDonald's french fries are salty and delicious.
• Subway uses fresh ingredients whereas McDonald's has processed fried food.

What is the main idea of the following paragraph?

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 take months to clean up

• Floods can cause landslides

• Floods can cause tremendous damage

There are many fun things to do at the beach.  Swimming is one thing that can be done at the beach.  Snorkeling is another thing that can be enjoyed.  Playing beach volleyball can be a lot of fun.  It is also fun to look for shells.  Some people simply like to sunbathe.
What is the main idea?

• There are many fun things to do at the beach.
• It is also fun to look for shells.
• Some people simply like to sunbathe.
• Going to the beach to swim can be fun.

What is the main idea of the following paragraph?

When we think of seaweed, we usually picture brown or green plants a foot or so in length. Seaweeds are also of other colors. Some are red. Some kinds grow to lengths of a hundred feet! These form giant seaweed forests, where many kinds of fish take shelter.

• Why some seaweed grows so large

• Why seaweed is red

• What seaweed is like

Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer.  Soccer players learn how to dribble and pass the ball.  They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score.  Most importantly, soccer players learn how to work together with their teammates.
What is the main idea?

• They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score.
• Soccer players learn how to dribble.
• They learn how to work together as teammates.
• Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer.

What is the main idea of the following paragraph?

Sharks can lose up to 30,000 teeth in their lifetime. Sharks have teeth arranged in rows inside their mouths. These teeth do not have roots like human teeth do, so they fall out easily. When a shark takes a powerful bite into its food, several teeth are lost. When these teeth are lost, new ones push forward from the back rows to replace them. Luckily, sharks continually grow new teeth to replace the thousands they lose.

• Sharks lose many teeth over the course of their lifetime

• Shark teeth are very different from human teeth

• Sharks are carnivorous predators

Perhaps one of the largest flowers grown is the sunflower. These giants grow up to 10 feet high. The flower itself is very large. It gets its name from the way it follows the sun. The face of the flower moves from east to west so that it is always facing the sun. The main idea is:

• To discuss large flowers.
• To describe the importance of the sunflower.
• To tell how the sunflower got its name.