Understanding Main Ideas and Details

Read the following passage: *Bees are amazing insects. They live in large groups called colonies. Bees collect nectar from flowers to make honey. They also help flowers grow by carrying pollen from one flower to another. Without bees, many plants would not be able to make seeds.* What is the main idea of this passage?

• Bees live in large groups called colonies.

• Bees are amazing insects that play an important role in nature.

• Bees collect nectar from flowers to make honey.

• Flowers need pollen to grow seeds.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.2.2

Read the following passage: *Rainforests are found near the equator where it is warm and wet. They are home to more than half of the world's plants and animals. The tall trees form a thick roof called a canopy. Below the canopy, smaller plants grow in the shade. Rainforests also help clean the air by absorbing carbon dioxide.* Which key detail best supports the main idea that rainforests are important to life on Earth?

• Rainforests are found near the equator.

• The tall trees form a thick roof called a canopy.

• Rainforests are home to more than half of the world's plants and animals.

• Smaller plants grow below the canopy in the shade.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.3.1

Read the following sentence: *The scientist used a microscope to observe the tiny organisms living in the pond water.* What does the word **observe** most likely mean in this sentence?

• To destroy something carefully

• To look at something closely and carefully

• To collect something from a pond

• To write about something in a notebook

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.4

CCSS.RI.3.4

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RL.3.4

CCSS.RL.4.4

Read the following sentence: *Plants need nutrients from the soil to grow strong and healthy.* What does the word **nutrients** most likely mean?

• Harmful chemicals found underground

• Tiny rocks and pebbles in the dirt

• Useful substances that help living things grow

• Water that collects under the ground

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.4

CCSS.RI.3.4

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RL.3.4

CCSS.RL.4.4

A student is reading a nonfiction book about ocean animals. The book has a table of contents, an index, headings, and a glossary. The student wants to quickly find the page where sharks are discussed. Which text feature should the student use?

• The glossary

• The headings

• The index

• The table of contents

Tags

CCSS.RI.1.5

CCSS.RI.2.5

CCSS.RI.K.5

A student is reading a nonfiction article about volcanoes on a website. There is a highlighted word that says **"magma"** in the middle of the article. When the student clicks on it, it takes them to another page with more information about magma. What is this text feature called?

• A sidebar

• A hyperlink

• A caption

• A heading

Tags

CCSS.RI.1.5

CCSS.RI.2.5

CCSS.RI.K.5

Read the following passage: *The water cycle is the process by which water moves around Earth. First, the sun heats water in oceans, lakes, and rivers, causing it to evaporate into the air as water vapor. Next, the water vapor rises and cools, forming clouds through a process called condensation. Finally, the water falls back to Earth as precipitation, such as rain or snow. The water cycle keeps Earth's water moving and available for all living things.* How do the key details in this passage support the main idea that the water cycle keeps water moving on Earth?

• They explain why the sun is the hottest star in the universe.

• They describe the steps of the water cycle and show how water continuously moves through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

• They explain how oceans are formed from rainwater over many years.

• They describe how clouds are made of tiny ice crystals that fall as snow.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.2.1

CCSS.RL.3.1

CCSS.RI.2.1

Read the following two passages: **Passage 1:** *Wolves are important predators in forests. They hunt deer and other animals, which keeps the deer population from growing too large. When deer populations are controlled, forests stay healthy because deer do not eat all the plants.* **Passage 2:** *Some farmers do not like wolves because wolves sometimes attack farm animals like sheep. Because of this, wolves were hunted and removed from many areas in the past.* Using both passages, explain how the key details support different main ideas about wolves. What conclusion can you draw about wolves based on both passages?

• Wolves are only harmful to the environment and should be removed from all forests.

• Wolves are helpful to forests but can cause problems for farmers, showing that wolves have both positive and negative effects depending on the situation.

• Wolves only hunt deer and never bother farm animals.

• Farmers and forests both benefit equally from having wolves nearby.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RI.2.2

Read the following sentence: *After the heavy rainfall, the river current became so forceful that it eroded the banks along the shore.* What does the word **eroded** most likely mean based on the context of the sentence?

• Built up and made stronger over time

• Slowly worn away by water or wind

• Flooded with large amounts of water

• Frozen solid during cold weather

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.4

CCSS.RI.3.4

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RL.3.4

CCSS.RL.4.4

Read the following passage: *During photosynthesis, plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce their own food. The green pigment in leaves, called chlorophyll, absorbs sunlight to power this process. Oxygen is released as a byproduct of photosynthesis.* A student reads the word **pigment** in this passage. Using clues from the passage, what does **pigment** most likely mean?

• A type of food that plants produce using sunlight

• A gas that is released during photosynthesis

• A substance that gives color and absorbs light

• A process that helps plants grow taller

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.4

CCSS.RI.3.4

CCSS.RI.4.4

CCSS.RL.3.4

CCSS.RL.4.4