Free Printable Identifying Main Idea #1

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Identifying Main Idea #1 - UTT

Total questions: 15

Worksheet time: 8mins

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^{Passages from Main Idea & Summarizing (Beech)}You probably know that guide dogs are used to lead blind people. Did you know that a few blind people have guide horses? These are miniature horses trained much as guide dogs are. The small horses respond to more than 24 commands. They can see well in the dark. They are also trained to tap with a hoof on the door if they need to go out. One man has even taken his guide horse on an airplane. What is the main idea of this passage?

How guide dogs are trained

A guide horse on an airplane

The use of small horses as guides

Why blind people like animals

Dictionary writers are always busy. That's because the English language keeps changing. People stop using some words, and new words keep popping up. Where do new words come from? Many recent words are from technology. For example, "snailmail" came into use after people started using the much faster e-mail. Other new words come from books, television, movies and fads. Do you know what a "wannabe" is? If not, you can look it up in a recently published dictionary. What is the main idea of this passage?

Dictionaries show changes in English.

How television affects English

Why dictionary writers are so tired

How to find new words in a dictionary

Ashrita Furman likes to break records. In fact, over the years Furman has set or broken more than 79 records listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. Two of his feats include race-walking the fastest mile while twirling a hula hoop and walking 81 miles with a milk bottle on his head. He has also held records for balancing 75 glasses on his chin, and for going up and down Mt. Fuji in Japan on a pogo stick. Why? Mr. Furman feels these activities bring him inner peace. What is the main idea of this passage?

The Guinness Book of World Records

Walking with a bottle on your head

How to climb Japan's Mt. Fuji

Furman likes to break records.

In 2003 scientists sighted a new object in our solar system. This object, which scientists are calling Sedna, is far beyond Pluto and takes 10,500 years to orbit the sun. Sedna is very cold - minus 400 degrees Fahrenheit - and has a reddish color. It also appears to be shiny. Scientists believe this astronomical body is made up of ancient rock and ice. Is Sedna a planet? Not exactly. For now, scientists are calling it a planetoid. What is the main idea of this passage?

A planet of primitive rock and ice

Sedna is found in our solar system

Orbiting bodies in our solar system

Sedna is almost as red as Mars

Where do you build the world's largest jet airliner? First, you have to put up the world's largest building. That's just what happened in Everett, Washington. An airline factory there covers more than 98 acres under one roof. More than 75 NFL football fields could fit inside! More than 15 railcars a day deliver parts to the factory. Workers use overhead cranes and forklifts to assemble the large pieces. Buyers from all over the world purchase the finished airplanes. What is the main idea of this passage?

Looking for the largest jet airliner

The largest building is a jet factory

Railcars deliver parts to the factory

How to build airiplanes indoors

People in ancient Egypt celebrated many different kinds of festivals. Some of these honored nature. For example, there were festivals when the Nile River flooded, making the riverbanks fertile for farming. Other festivals celebrated at the beginning of spring and at harvest time. At the celebrations, families enjoyed foods such as watermelon, grapes, and figs that were sold at stalls. People also listened to musicians and watched entertainers such as acrobats. What is the main idea of this passage?

Why the Nile was important to Egypt

Watermelon was sold at food stalls.

Ancient Egypt had many festivals.

The festivals honored nature.

A jingle dress is for special occasions among the Ojibwa people. Often, Ojibwa women and girls wear a jingle dress at powwows. These are social gatherings where people do traditional dances and have fun. A jingle dress has small metal cones hanging from it like a fringe. The dress makes a jingling sound when a girl dances. According to a story, a jingle dress helped to cure a young girl. That is why the Ojibwa believe that the jingle dress is a healing garment. What is the main idea of this passage?

The dress makes a jingling sound.

People get cured from jingle dresses..

A jingle dress is for special Ojibwa events.

A powwow is a social gathering.

The hippopotamus spends a lot of time in water. In fact, the name of this large African animal means "river horse." During a hot day, a hippo will spend its hours in rivers and lakes. Only its eyes, ears, and nostrils can be seen above water. This helps to keep the hairless animal from getting sunburned Although it eats water plants, the hippo goes ashore at night to find larger plants. If it is the dry season and the water is low, hippos roll in mud to cover their large bodies. This way their skin doesn't dry out. What is the main idea of this passage?

A hippopotamus is a water horse.

This animal eats water and land plants.

Hippos live only in Africa.

A hippo spends a lot of time in water.

Do you eat every day? Researchers have found that people who eat a balanced breakfast are likely to be healthier than those who don't. One reason is that most people eat whole grains at breakfast, and these promote good health. Breakfast eaters also tend to have fewer weight problems than those who skip the meal. People who don't eat breakfast usually eat too much later in the day Often, these foods are not healthy and cause weight gain and other problems. So, be sure to eat breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day. What is the main idea of this passage?

Breakfast is the most important meal.

Skipping breakfast makes you hungry.

Breakfast is a delicious meal.

Breakfast eaters have fewer weight problems.

10.

Once, shoes were made entirely by hand. The hardest step was connecting the upper part of a shoe to the innersole. A worker had to stretch the leather over a wooden form called a "last". Jan Matzeliger changed all that in the 1880s. He invented a "lasting" machine to do this difficult work. Matzeliger's machine meant that many more shoes could be made in a day and for less money. The price of shoes came down, and more people could afford them. What is the main idea of this passage?

Once shoes were made by hand.

Jan Matzelliger was an inventor.

Matzeliger changed how shoes are made.

More people could now afford shoes.

11.

Have you ever carried a stone around in your pocket? According to a tradition of the Seneca, a favorite stone can tell something about you. If your stone is smooth, it means you are gentle. A rough stone means that you follow creative ideas. Gray stones suggest that you are friendly, while brown ones mean you love nature. The shape of your stone has meaning too. A round stone says you are flexible. Is your stone oval? You are seeking a better life. What is the main idea of this passage?

It's good to carry stones in your pocket.

Stones are precious possessions.

Rough stones mean creativity.

Stones have meaning to the Seneca.

12.

Lions live together in social groups called prides. Most of the lions in a pride are females and their cubs. The lionesses share the work of hunting and raising the cubs. By hunting in a pack, lions can take down animals far larger than themselves. Much of the food killed by a pride is taken by the males. In return, they provide protection from other males. A pride has a well-defined territory, which is marked by the males. When lions in a pride meet, they greet one another by head rubbing, licking, and grooming. What is the main idea of this passage?

Males eat most of a pride's food.

Lions live in groups called prides.

Lions hunt together in a pack.

Lionesses share the work of a pride.

13.

When you're watching a television show, you notice the commercials. You can tell when the show stops and the advertisement begins. But, there is another kind of "commercial" that happens right in the television shows. You might not notice it. "Product placement" takes place during a show. If you see the label on a box of cereal or a soda can during the TV show, then you're seeing an ad. Other product placements include showing types of cars, clothing or shoes during the show.

What is the main idea of this passage?

All advertisements are the same.

Cereal boxes are used in ads.

Cars are popular items to advertise on TV.

There is more than one type of advertisement during TV shows.

14.

A bake sale is a good way to make extra money. To prepare for a bake sale, choose two or three simple recipes with inexpensive ingredients. Make a dash to the store for items you don't already have. Clean the kitchen so all food is safely handled. After that, begin the first recipe following all directions. While the first baked good is cooking, prepare the second and third if possible. This will depend on oven temperature and bake time. Keep an eye on the oven while you prepare other recipes. Once all goods are out of the oven, let them cool thoroughly. Finally, wrap the goods either as a whole, or slice (dip) to make individual servings. Once this is completed, the kitchen must be cleaned again and all remaining ingredients properly stored. Now, it's off to the sale!

What is the main idea of this passage?

Baking brownies is a good way to raise money.

The best fundraiser is a bake sale.

There are several steps in preparing baked goods for sale.

Always bake with an adult.

15.

FBI agents work for the government. The "F" stands for "federal" which means the nation's government, not the state's or locality's (city or county) government. The FBI works on cases like bank robberies, kidnappings, and other major crimes. An FBI agent might be an expert in clues, languages or computers. Some FBI agents know all about making fake money known as counterfeit money. Others know all about how bombs are made. The agency is filled with intelligent people who specialize in different areas.

What is the main idea of this passage?

The FBI solves bank robberies.

The FBI hires really smart people.

The FBI has many experts in many areas working to solve a variety of crimes.

States and localities have their own FBI.

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Identifying Main Idea #1 - UTT

Total questions: 15

Worksheet time: 8mins

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