Central Idea Test

Which of the following is NOT a strategy to use when searching for the central idea?

• Highlighting important information

• Rereading the text

• Highlighting the entire text

Which text feature can give you clues about the central idea?

• Title

• Headings

• Pictures

• All of these

Select the best topic sentence for the paragraph.

• Some people like to read.

• There are many good things that can come from reading.

• Reading is only good if you want to do well in school.

• It is good to read a lot.

Select the best topic sentence for the paragraph.

Celebrities have to look almost perfect all the time. They also sacrifice their private lives. Finally, they are in danger of having crazy fans.

• Being a celebrity is often difficult.

• Celebrities make more money than most people.

• Brad Pitt is a celebrity everyone has heard of.

• When I grow up, I want to be a celebrity.

The main idea is supported by what?

• concluding sentences

• details

• a chair

• reliable resources

Wilbur and Orville Wright were brothers who were inventors, even from a young age when they built kites and bicycles. Many people credit the Wright Brothers with designing and building the first successful airplane. In 1903, their first flight only lasted 12 seconds, but it continues to inspire people all over the world to learn about science and math, to work hard to realize their dreams, and to use imagination to achieve success. The main idea of this passage is:

• The Wright Brothers worked hard. 

• The Wright Brothers were inventors who have inspired many people. 

• Inventors build kites and bicycles. 

• The first flight was in 1903. 

What is the Central Idea of the passage?
What's that humming sound?  Could it be hummingbird, the only bird capable of backward flight?  Hummingbirds have many unique flight habits that distinguish them from other birds.  Most birds flap their wings up and down to fly, but the hummingbird moves its wings forward and backward very rapidly in a figure eight pattern.  This allows the hummingbird to hover in position, fly upside down, and move about very rapidly.  And while other birds have to push off with their feet to begin flying, and work their ways up to their top speeds, the hummingbird can both start flying at maximum speed and stop flying instantaneously.  After you've seen a hummingbird in flight, it's unlikely that you'll mistake them for another bird.

• Birds and hummingbirds are very different.

• Hummingbirds make a humming sound.

• Hummingbirds wings fly in figure eight patterns.

• The hummingbird flys in a totally unique and unusual way.

What does the MAIN IDEA of a story tell the reader?

• When to eat lunch

• The conflict of the story

• What the story is about 

• The universal truth, moral, or idea the author wants to express

Which of the following is NOT a strategy to use when identifying the central idea of a text?

• A) Skimming the text

• B) Highlighting key points

• C) Reading the text aloud

• D) Memorizing every word

Select the best topic sentence for the paragraph. The internet has changed the way we communicate, learn, and entertain ourselves. It has made information more accessible and has connected people worldwide.

• A) The internet is a powerful tool.

• B) The internet is only for entertainment.

• C) The internet is a waste of time.

• D) The internet is not useful.