Main idea and key details

Steel is a very important metal which is used for many things. In the United States, the automobile industry uses the most steel. Steel is used in putting up buildings. Cans and containers are made from steel. Steel is used to make farm and factory machines.

The Main Idea Is:

• The auto industry is the most important.

• Steel is used for many purposes.

• The United States produces the most steel in the world.

Lee finally had the money for something she had wanted to buy for a long time. Today after school, Lee would buy her own skateboard. She was pretty good at using skateboards, because she used those of friends to practice. She was looking forward to having her own to use whenever she wanted.

The Main Idea Is:

• Lee will get a skateboard.

• Lee is an expert at skateboarding.

• Lee borrows a skateboard.

There are about 2,000 kinds of bats. They come in many sizes. Bats are rather strange looking animals. They are soft and furry with large ears. Bats cannot walk or run. They usually eat insects. Bats are the only mammals that fly.

The Main Idea Is:

• Bats are unusual animals.

• Bats move by running and flying.

• Bats look like many other animals.

The largest bird is the ostrich. This bird is unable to fly. It can run as fast as a horse. The ostrich makes use of its feet and legs to protect itself. It kicks its enemies. Ostriches eat insects, mice, and snakes.

The Main Idea Is:

• To describe the smallest bird.

• To describe why ostriches cannot fly.

• To describe the largest bird.

One of the oldest and most important jobs in the world is that of the farmer. We all depend on the farmer for our food. Modern farming is very different than it was years ago. Today’s farmer has many machines to help do the work faster and better.

The Main Idea Is

• Because of machines, we do not need farmers.

• Everyone should be a farmer so we would have more food.

• Farming is still an important job.

One of the best-known cartoonist in the world was Walt Disney. As a boy, Disney liked to draw. He moved to Hollywood and there he made cartoons. He was responsible for creating the characters of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Pluto the dog, and others.

The Main Idea Is:

• Drawing cartoons makes you famous.

• Disney made many well-known cartoon characters.

• Pluto is Disney’s best-known cartoon character.

A very important food for a large number of people is bread. Bread is made from many different kinds of grains. Americans eat bread mostly made from wheat. Bread is important to us because it is good source at energy.

The Main Idea Is:

• There are few kinds of bread.

• The best kind of bread is made from wheat.

• Bread is a good source of energy.

The newspaper photographer takes many pictures of an event. Once the photographer comes back to the newspaper office, the pictures are developed in about 15 minutes. From all the pictures taken, only one or two are chosen to be printed in the newspaper.

The Main Idea Is:

• A newspaper employs many people.

• The photographer takes one or two pictures of event.

• A photographer takes pictures for a newspaper.

Did you ever wonder how a newspaper reporter gets a story? A reporter goes to many places to get stories. The reporters talk to people to get information wanted. This information is written down in note form. Back at the newspaper office, the reporter uses the notes to write up the story.

The Main Idea Is:

• To describe how a newspaper office works.

• To describe how a reporter writes a story.

• To describe why reporters are important.

Steel is a very important metal which is used for many things. In the United States, the automobile industry uses the most steel. Steel is used in putting up buildings. Cans and containers are made from steel. Steel is used to make farm and factory machines.

The Main Idea Is:

• The auto industry is the most important.

• Steel is used for many purposes.

• The United States produces the most steel in the world.