Main Idea Practice

It was backwards day at school. The students had to do things backwards. Some wore their T-Shirts backwards. They took a test before they studied the lesson. The students went to their last class first, and their first class last. They even tried to walk backwards, but they bumped into each other and fell down.

What is the main idea in this passage?

• Students are supposed to learn at school.

• The students had a backwards day.

• It is really hard to do things backwards.

• Students need to go to school every day.

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

Which of the following details support the main idea that the frog did not move?

• His green color made him hard to see.

• A bug flew near him as he patiently waited.

• All of a sudden, his tongue zipped out and he gobbled it up.

• He waited for the next bug.

Mary has a new pet. Her new pet is a baby kitten. It is soft and cuddly. The kitten likes to sleep a lot. Mary put a soft blanket in a box for its bed. Mary plays with her kitten when it is awake. She never forgets to feed her kitten.

What is the main idea of this passage?

• The kitten sleeps a lot.

• Mary doesn't like her new kitten - it bites her.

• Mary wanted a new pet, so she got a kitten.

• Mary's new pet is a kitten.

Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Brown are bakers. They work at a store called Baked Goods to Go! Mrs. Jones works at night, and she bakes cakes, cookies, and pies. Mrs. Brown works in the daytime, and she bakes bread and rolls. Both Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Brown are very good bakers.

What is the main idea in this passage?

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.

What is the main idea in this passage?

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 are some details from the text that support this main idea:

Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer.

There are many fun things to do at the beach. Swimming is one thing that can be done at the beach. Building sand castles is something that many people enjoy doing the beach. Some people also enjoy playing beach volleyball. It is also fun to look for seashells. Some people just like to lie on the sand and soak up the sun.

What is the main idea of this passage?

When Americans think of earthquakes, they tend to think of California, a state known for its frequent seismic activity. In recent years, however, people in Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, and New Mexico have been feeling the ground shake more often. An increase in oil and gas drilling in these states has led to "human-induced" earthquakes - those resulting from human activity. When wastewater is disposed of during gas and oil drilling, the water is forced deep underground. The resulting buildup of pressure can cause fault lines (cracks in the earth's crust) to shift. According to Mark Peterson, head of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) earthquake hazard mapping project, "In the past five years, the USGS has documented high shaking and damage in areas of these states, mostly from induced earthquakes."

What is the main idea of this text?