CCSS.ELA.Content.RI.4.2

One dinosaur had a brain that weighed about as much as three pencils.  Its body weighed ten tons and was over twenty feet in length.  As you can guess, this dinosaur did not think too clearly.  It wasn't the world's brightest dinosaur!  What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• How big one dinosaur was
• What one dinosaur's brain was like
• Why one dinosaur had a small brain

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CCSS.ELA.Content.RI.4.2

French fries, potato chips, and fried  chicken are not nutritious foods. In
fact, people should limit the number of fried foods they eat. There are many health risks that can be linked to eating foods fried in oil. One well- known side effect is obesity. People who eat fried foods often tend to be overweight. Eating fried foods also increases the chance of gas, heartburn, and bloating. Eating fried foods can result in higher levels of cholesterol, which can result in a heart attack. Clearly, there are many negative effects which can be associated with eating large amounts of fried foods. 

• problem & solution
• description
• cause & effect
• sequence

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CCSS.ELA.Content.RI.4.2

The boys never expected to get caught stealing the bag of chips, but the security camera caught their theft.

• Theme
• Main Idea

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CCSS.ELA.Content.RI.4.2

When Julia fell off the monkey bars and broke her arm, she was terrified to go to the emergency room.

• Theme
• Main Idea

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CCSS.ELA.Content.RI.4.2

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.

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CCSS.ELA.Content.RI.4.2

CCSS.ELA.Content.RI.8.2

Weather reporters have to give out a lot of information. That's why they use pictures. The pictures help them tell us about the weather without using so many words. Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is. They need to know where the warm air is. They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area. Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short. The pictures help weather reporters get the information out in a fast way.

Which sentence best describes the main idea of the paragraph?

• Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is

• Pictures help weather reporters get information out in a fast way

• Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short

• They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area

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CCSS.ELA.Content.RI.4.2

CCSS.ELA.Content.RI.8.2

when a book gives facts

• inform
• persuade
• entertain

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CCSS.ELA.Content.RI.4.2

When some people think about Texas, they think of cowboys on the open range-herding cattle up a dusty trail. However, Texas has much more than open prairie with large herds of cows. There are the mountains of West Texas, the piney hills of east Texas, and the emerald waters off the coast of Padre Island. Texas also has large coastal harbors with numerous sailboats, powerboats, inland lakes, rivers, swamps of southeast Texas with alligators and other exotic wildlife.

The Summary of this passage is:

• There are a lot of cows in Texas.

• There are many different, varied parts of Texas.

• Texas is one of the biggest states in the United States.

• There are alligators in the swampland of southeast Texas.

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CCSS.ELA.Content.RI.4.2

A man from another country counted all the car accidents.  He found out that cars painted pink or any light hade seem to be safer.  The light colors are more easily seen.  Cars of two or three different colors may be even safer.   What is the main idea?

• Which color cars are safest
• How to paint a car
• What colors can't be seen

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CCSS.ELA.Content.RI.4.2

Is your closet overflowing with toys you don't play with? Follow these tips to clear your closet! First, get three large boxes. Label one box "KEEP" and one box "DONATE". Then, go through each item and place it in one of the boxes.

• to describe cleaning so readers can imagine organizing their closet

• to sequence the steps to organize a closet

• to convince readers to donate old toys

• to teach readers the importance of donating toys

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CCSS.ELA.Content.RI.4.2