Main Idea/ Central Idea

The Hen Who Laid Golden Eggs

Once upon a time, a man had a wonderful hen that laid a golden egg every day. But he wasn't happy with this. He thought that the hen must have a treasure inside her.

He killed the hen and cut her open, only to find that she was just like other chickens inside. Now he was very unhappy.

What is the central idea or moral of the story?

• A. Chickens are all alike.

• B. Be happy with what you have.

• C. Big problems can be solved.

• D. Good farmers take care of their hens.

The Fox and the Crow

One warm day, a crow was sitting in a tree, holding a bit of cheese in his beak. A fox walked by just then. The smell of the cheese made his mouth water.

"Why, Master Crow, how pretty you look!" said the sly fox. "If your voice is as fine as your feathers, you must be the grandest bird in all these woods!"

Now the crow was an ugly bird, with messy feathers and a harsh voice. The fox's praise thrilled him. He was proud of his feathers and voice. He opened his beak to sing, and the cheese fell out.

"Ha, ha!" laughed the fox, snapping up the cheese. "That will teach you!"

What is the central idea or moral of the story?

• A. Sharing is the right thing to do

• B. Don't believe everything you hear

• C. Be confident

• Always do your best

Seated on his throne, King Midas wore a golden crown. He had golden rings on each finger and held a golden scepter. His vest was embroidered with golden thread and even his shoes had golden ornaments. He had a golden box filled with gold coins. He named his daughter Marigold.

What is the central idea of this paragraph?

• King Midas loved gold.

• King Midas sold lots of gold.

• King Midas had a heart of gold.

• King Midas hated gold.

In a spell of dry weather, when the Birds could find very little to drink, a thirsty Crow found a pitcher with a little water in it. But the pitcher was high and had a narrow neck, and no matter how he tried, the Crow could not reach the water. The poor thing felt as if he would die of thirst. Then an idea came to him. Picking up some small pebbles, he dropped them into the pitcher one by one. With each pebble the water rose a little higher until at last it was near enough so he could drink.

What is the theme?

• Keep trying until you are successful.

• Do not be persistent if something seems impossible.

• Always be honest.

• Some things are not worth fighting for.

Jenny visited her grandmother in the hospital.  She saw how kind and helpful the nurses were to her grandmother.  Now she wants to be a nurse when she grows up.  She wants to help sick people get well. 
What is the main idea?

• Jenny got sick.
• Jenny wants to be a nurse.
• Her grandmother was in the hospital.
• Jenny was glad the nurses were being kind to her grandmother.

Mary has a new pet.  Her pet is a baby kitten.  It is soft and cuddly.  The kitten likes to sleep a lot.  Mary put a soft blanket in a box for its bed.  Mary plays with her kitten when it is awake.  She never forgets to feed her kitten.
What is the main idea?

• The kitten sleeps a lot.
• Mary plays with her kitten
• Mary’s new pet is a kitten.
• Mary want a new pet.

There are many fun things to do at the beach. Swimming is one thing that can be done at the beach. Snorkeling is another thing that can be enjoyed. Playing beach volleyball can be a lot of fun. It is also fun to look for shells. Some people simply like to sunbathe.

What is the main idea?

• There are many fun things to do at the beach.

• It is also fun to look for shells.

• Some people simply like to sunbathe.

• Going to the beach to swim can be fun.

Jake's family went on a camping trip. They went to a park by the ocean. They rode their bikes around the park and cooked their food over a fire outside. They saw some deer. They came home Sunday afternoon. 
What is the main idea? 

• They saw some deer
• Jake's family likes to camp
• Jake's family went on a camping trip
• They cooked their food outside