Finding Important Ideas

What is the main idea?

• A dolphin mother feeds her baby milk like other mammals.

• Mammals are different than fish, reptiles, or birds.

• Dolphins give birth to live babies.

• Dolphins are mammals that live in the ocean.

Benjamin Franklin invented many things that made life easier in the late 1700's. He invented the lightning rod that saved many homes from fires. He also invented the Franklin stove. The stove could heat a room better than a fireplace and saved people a lot of fuel. He also invented a special kind of glasses called bifocals. This new kind of glasses helped people to read better.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• Benjamin Franklin thought reading was important.
• Benjamin Franklin was not afraid of fire.
• A Franklin stove can heat a whole room.
• Benjamin Franklin was a great inventor.

Insects live in many places. Some live on land, some live in water. Others live in the air. Some insects even live in the ground.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• Insects live in many different places.

• Insects can live in the air or on land.

• Insects live in water.

• There are many places that insects don't live.

Cats are affectionate, cute, and independent. Unlike dogs, cats can stay alone if you go away on a trip. They do not need to be walked and are easy to potty train. Also, cats do not bark, so your neighbors will not have any noise to complain about. If someone wants to have a pet, a cat is great choice.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• Cats are independent

• Dogs are a lot of work

• Cats are great pets

• Dogs are better than cats.

Baseball has been a part of Americans’ lives for over 100 years. In 27 out of 50 American cities, there are 29 professional teams and thousands of minor league teams. Most Americans attend more baseball games than any other professional sport games. Baseball is not only part of American life but also part of slang, fashion, music, and movies.

What is a supporting detail for the main idea that 'baseball is an important part of American life'?

• People eat hot dogs at baseball games.

• Baseball has been played in America for more than 100 years.

• Baseball fashion is very popular.

• Baseball is played in every city in America.

Exercise is crucial to our lives. Doctors recommend we exercise at least two times a week. Exercise does not necessarily need to be done in the gym; it can consist of an outdoor walk or bike ride. It not only controls weight, but it combats many health conditions and diseases. Another added benefit to exercise is its mood boosting qualities.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• Exercise is important.

• Bike riding is good exercise.

• Exercise can be done anywhere.

• Exercise can make you happy.

Yesterday was my birthday. When I woke up, I noticed my brother Josh hung up a big sign that said,"Happy Birthday, Charles!" Mom made spaghetti for dinner.
It's my favorite food in the whole world. My friend Dave came over and handed me a wrapped gift. I wondered what it was. It was a new basketball! I had a great day.
What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• Josh got lots of gifts.
• Charles got a lot of gifts.
• Charles had a great birthday.
• Josh had a great birthday.

Someday we will all have robots that will be our personal servants. They will look and behave much like real humans. We will be able to talk to these mechanical helpers and they will be able to respond in kind! Amazingly, the robots of the future will be able to learn from experience. They will be smart, strong, and untiring workers whose only goal will be to make our lives easier.
What is this paragraph mainly about?

• Someday we will have robots that will be our personal servants.
• We will be able to talk to robots and they will be able to respond.
• You should give up if you are the Robots will look and behave much like real humans.
• Amazingly, the robots of the future will be able to learn from experience.

If you are feeling sad, you can make yourself feel better by doing a few simple things. You can take a walk (or get another form of exercise), you can talk to a friend, or you can write down your feelings. Writing down the good things in your life will help too. Doing something good for someone else will also help you feel better. If you still feel a little sad, act happy. It works like magic to make you feel better!

What is this passage mostly about?

• Sometimes people feel sad.

• You should do good things for others.

• We're not always happy.

• There are many ways to make yourself feel better when you are feeling down.

I can't wait until this weekend! We’re going to my grandparents’ house and my entire family will be there. I will spend most of my time playing games with my cousins. We always have such a good time together! The day goes by so fast, and by the end we are all exhausted... but we still don’t want to leave!

What is the main idea?

• Weekends are times to travel.

• The author enjoys spending time with her family.

• The author's grandparents live far away.

• The author is sad to leave her cousins.