Main Idea

• - An ant can lift things up to fifty times it's own weight.

• - To prepare for winter, some ants collect extra food and store it for later.

• - Most ants spend their lives gathering food, building colonies, and protecting the queen ant.

What is the main, or central, idea that ties all the details together?

• Ants are strong, hardworking insects.

• Ants spend most of their lives working.

• Sometimes, groups of ants move large objects.

• - Chickpeas are used in Greek salads and wraps.

• - A soup known as revithada is a popular Greek dish made of baked chickpeas.

• - Chickpea fritters are a popular Greek dish.

Choose the main, or central, idea that ties all the details together.

• A popular Greek soup is made with chickpeas

• Greek hummus dip is made with chickpeas

• Chickpeas are common in Greek foods.

• - To train for a race, sled dogs run for many hours a day.

• - Sled dogs practice pulling a heavy sled so they get used to the weight.

• - Sled dogs also practice running on different kinds of ground.

• Choose the main, or central, idea that ties all the details together.

• Sled dogs work hard to prepare for a race.

• Dog sled races can take up to two weeks to complete.

• Sled dogs learn how to work as a team.

-African violet plants do best if they are given warm water at the roots.

• - African violet plants need sunlight, but their leaves will turn brown if they get too much.

• - In order to bloom, African violet plants should get eight hours of darkness each night.

Choose the main, or central, idea that ties all the details together.

• African violets should be given warm water.

• The African violet plant needs special care.

• The flowers of African violet plants come in a range of colors.

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was the first woman to be elected as the leader of an African country. As president of Liberia, she made huge improvements in peoples' lives. Before Johnson Sirleaf became president in 2005, Liberia was in debt, and most people didn't have jobs. The country had also been divided by a long war. After Johnson Sirleaf entered office, she asked other countries for help with the debt. She made it possible for more girls to go to school. She also worked for peace in Liberia. Because of the important work she did in Liberia, she won a Nobel Peace Prize in 2011.

What is the main, or central, idea of the passage?

• Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's work made the lives of many people in Liberia better.

• Ellen Johnson Sirleaf worked to give girls the opportunity to go to school.

A Symbol of Freedom

Edouard de Laboulaye, a French writer and law professor, admired the freedoms enjoyed in the United States. He supported Abraham Lincoln's freeing of slaves during the Civil War. After the war, in 1865, he suggested that France present a statue to the U.S. The statue was meant to honor Lincoln and American democracy. At that time, the French people had little say in their government. Laboulaye hoped the statue would encourage the French to demand more freedom at home. Work began on the project in 1875. Ten years later, the statue, known as the Statue of Liberty, finally arrived in New York.

What is the main, or central, idea of the passage?

• Edouard de Laboulaye wanted the Statue of Liberty to inspire freedom and democracy in France.

• Edouard de Laboulaye came up with the idea for the Statue of Liberty after the American Civil War ended.Ededdd