Main Idea and Summarizing

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. What is the main thing the author is trying to tell us?

• There are many different, varied parts of Texas.

• There are a lot of cows in Texas.

• There are alligators in the swampland of southeast Texas.

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

The first book Chris read in fifth grade was about a lost kitten. Then he read a book about a family of bears, and then he read about a wild kangaroo in Australia. It seems every book Chris reads is about animals. Last week he found a good book about snakes and reptiles, and another book about elephants. Today Chris went to the library, and he checked out a book about dolphins, whales and other animals that live in the sea. The best summary of this passage is...

• Chris likes kangaroos.

• Chris is in the fifth grade.

• Chris reads a lot of books about animals.

• Dolphins and whales live in the sea.

As soon as she arrived at grandmother's house, Jessica ran into her bedroom to look at the blue quilt. It covered her grandmother's bed and was Jessica's favorite. It had patches of dark blue, medium blue, and light blue, with pictures of birds and flowers on every other patch. Jessica liked to take naps with the quilt wrapped around her. She loved the way it felt so soft and warm against her skin. Whenever she was visiting grandma, just looking at the quilt made Jessica happy. The best summary of this passage is...

• Jessica's grandmother has a pretty blue quilt.

• Jessica loved her grandmother's quilt.

• Jessica took naps at her grandmother's house.

• The quilt was warm.

Carson's older sister, Madison, is a very good student. She isn't satisfied to just get by in school. She is involved in extra activities at school, including the school's music program and the math club. She also always tries to answer the teacher's questions in class. What is this paragraph mainly about?

• Madison was born before Carson.

• Madison is a very good student.

• Madison likes to show off.

• Madison likes music.

It is estimated that over twenty million pounds of candy corn are sold in the US each year. Brach's, the top manufacturer, sells enough candy corn to circle the earth 4.25 times if each piece were laid end to end. That's a lot of candy corn, but that's nothing compared to the production of Tootsie Rolls. Over 64 million Tootsie Rolls are produced every day! But even Tootsie Rolls have got nothing on the candy industry's staple product: chocolate. Confectioners manufacture over twenty billion pounds of chocolate in the United States each year. Now that's a mouthful! What is the main idea of this passage?

• Tootsie rolls are delicious

• Chocolate is best

• How much of popular candies are sold each year

• How large the earth is

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 the main idea?

• 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.

Mark wanted to be a great skater. But he didn't want to spend the hours practicing. He wished he could just do the tricks easily. Mark's dream was to have everyone stop and stare when he entered the skate park. He wanted them to say, "Mark is the best skater in the whole world."

What is the main idea?

• Mark wants everyone to think he's a great skater without doing the hard work.

• Mark practices very hard to become a great skater.

• Mark is the best skater at the park.

• Mark wants to learn how to skate so he can compete.

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?

• Soccer players learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score.

• Soccer players learn how to dribble.

• Soccer players learn how to work together as teammates.

• Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer.

Many people have not heard giraffes make noises. Giraffes do not use sounds to “talk” with each other. When hurt, giraffes make a low moo, something like a cow. When frightened, they make a short, high sound.

What is this paragraph mainly about?

• Giraffes do make noises.

• Giraffes talk all the time.

• Cows and giraffes talk to each other.

• Most people have heard giraffes talk.

You should write a summary:

• in your own words using main ideas from the text

• by copying the first and last sentence in each paragraph

• by identifying all of the supporting details in the passage