Central and Supporting Ideas

“The rain forest is home to many creatures. Monkeys, toucans and macaws live in the rain forest. Butterflies and anteaters also live in the rain forest.”

What is the central idea?

• Sloths and tapirs are other creatures that live in the rain forest.

• The rain forest is home to many creatures.

• Monkeys, toucans and macaws live in the rain forest.

What is a statement that tells what a passage is mostly about called?

• lesson learned

• theme

• Central Idea

• supporting detail

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 sentence is a supporting detail that you should get enough sleep?

• Many people sleep later on the weekends.

• Caffeine keeps some people awake at night.

• Dark rooms are best for sleeping.

• Seven to nine hours keeps you refreshed the next day.

What is the best question to ask yourself when you are trying to find the central/main idea?

• Who is the main character?

• What is the main event?

• What is one important detail?

• What point is the author trying to make?

Select the supporting detail that doesn't fit.

Topic Sentence:My cat is afraid of everything.

• He hides under the couch when you turn the microwave on.

• He sleeps all day long.

• He runs away when you sweep the floor.

• He jumps every time the doorbell rings.

4. Which of the following is a supporting detail of this paragraph?

Robots are being used in sumo wrestling contests. Sumo wrestling is a sport that started in Japan. It takes place in a ring. Two players try to score points by holding each other down or pushing each other out of the ring. Robot sumo uses robots instead of humans. The robot that scores the most points wins.

• Robots are being used in sumo wrestling contests

• Robots sumo contests are better than human sumo contests.

• Robot sumo uses robots instead of humans.

• Watching robot sumo is boring.

Which term best describes the main idea of a piece of writing?

• A supporting detail
• A central idea

• topic sentence

• an opinion

In the phrase, "The central/main idea is buttressed by supporting details," what is the best synonym for buttressed?

• Backed
• Refuted
• Confounded 
• Weakened

In an essay, details serve a similar function to: 

• An instructional manual for putting together furniture
• The characters in a work of fiction
• Blank pages in a notebook
• The evidence an attorney needs to convict a criminal