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Main Idea and Theme

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 20mins

Name
Class
Date
1.
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?
a)
There are many fun things to do at the beach.
b)
It is also fun to look for shells.
c)
Some people simply like to sunbathe.
d)
Going to the beach to swim can be fun.
2.
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?
a)
They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score.
b)
Soccer players learn how to dribble.
c)
They learn how to work together as teammates.
d)
Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer.
3.
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?
a)
Jenny got sick.
b)
Jenny wants to be a nurse.
c)
Her grandmother was in the hospital.
d)
Jenny was glad the nurses were being kind to her grandmother.
4.
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?
a)
The kitten sleeps a lot.
b)
Mary plays with her kitten
c)
Mary’s new pet is a kitten.
d)
Mary want a new pet.
5.
Weather reporters have to give out a lot of information. That's why they use pictures. The pictures help them tell us about the weather without using so many words. Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is. They need to know where the warm air is. They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area. Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short. The pictures help weather reporters get the information out in a fast way.
Which sentence best describes the main idea of the paragraph?
a)
Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is
b)
Pictures help weather reporters get information out in a fast way
c)
Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short
d)
They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area
6.
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 main idea of this paragraph?
a)
King Midas loved gold.
b)
King Midas sold lots of gold.
c)
King Midas had a heart of gold.
d)
King Midas hated gold.
7.
Native Americans dried strips of meat, pounded it into a paste, and then mixed it with fat. Sometimes they added berries and sugar. Then they pressed it into small cakes. They called these cakes pemmican. Pemmican didn't spoil, and it provided lots of energy for people traveling or going hunting. Today explorers still carry and eat this food.
What is the passage mostly about?
a)
who uses pemmican today
b)
what can be put into pemmican
c)
how pemmican was prepared by Native Americans.
d)
why people eat pemmican today
8.
Were you born after 1985? If so, how long do you expect to live? Most people born after 1985 can expect to live more than 70 years. Of course, this is just a guess based on past records. By the way, females can expect to live about six years longer than males. That’s taken from past records too!
What is the paragraph mostly about?
a)
how long you might expect to live
b)
about the health of females
c)
why people live to be 70
d)
tells that people live to be 100
9.
What is the main difference between THEME and MAIN IDEA. 
a)
Theme is a universal lesson, and main idea is what a story is about.
b)
Theme is what a story is about, and main idea is the universal lesson it teaches.
10.
The best definition of theme is...
a)
The lesson the author is teaching. 
b)
The message the author is sending.
c)
A word that summarizes the story.
d)
The character's main problem.
11.
Which of these things is not related to the "theme" in a story?
a)
how a character is feeling
b)
a "life lesson" the main character learns
c)
a big idea that people from any culture or any place can understand
d)
the moral of the story
12.
When determining a theme, the reader should first consider...
a)
the illustrations
b)
the subject or topic
c)
the title
d)
the length of the story 
13.
One way you could figure out the theme is to...
a)
Skim through the story
b)
Just read the beginning of the story
c)
Think about what the character has learned
d)
Read the ending of the story
14.
Which of the following is an example of THEME?
a)
Carry your laptops with two hands at all times.
b)
Cereal is the healthiest food you can eat.
c)
How much wood a woodchuck could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood.
d)
Life is short; make the most of it.
15.
What is the theme of this story? 
a)
Necessity is the mother of invention.
b)
Don't steal.
c)
Respect your elders.
d)
Slow and steady wins the race.
16.
What is the theme of this story? 
a)
Slow and steady wins the race.
b)
Don't be lazy. 
c)
We are stronger together than we are apart.
d)
If you try to go on your own, you will get eaten by a big fish.
17.
What is the theme of this story? 
a)
Respect your elders.
b)
Look before you leap.
c)
Don't brag too much.
d)
Be polite.
18.
What is the theme of this story? 
a)
Don't steal. 
b)
Don't judge others. You don't know what they are capable of. 
c)
Being beautiful is the most important thing.
d)
Swans are prettier than ducks.
19.
What is the theme of this story? 
a)
Don't be lazy.
b)
Have as much fun as you can before you die.
c)
Don't steal.
d)
Look before you leap.
20.
What is the theme of this story?
a)
It is better to take your time and do it right then to rush and fail.
b)
Don't be lazy.
c)
Our friends are always there for us.
d)
Turtles are faster than rabbits.