Free Printable Determining Importance

Worksheets

Determining Importance - Main Idea and Details

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 32mins

Name

Class

Date

To determine________________, the reader must identify essential and necessary information from the article.

interest

importance

Genghis Khan was born with the name, Temujin.

That's interesting.

That's important.

What does it mean to determine importance as you read?

figure out whether people consider the text to be important

decide which detalils are most important to the main idea

look for sentences that mean the same thing in the passage

summarize the important events in a passage

Without Thomas Edison's invention of the lightbulb, the world might still be a dark place.

Interesting Fact

Important Fact

Edison invested the record player, the movie camera and more than 1,200 other things.

Interesting Fact

Important Fact

Edison went to school for only two months.

Interesting Fact

Important Fact

The main idea is what the story is ______________ about.

mostly

only

never

very

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.

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?

They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score.

Soccer players learn how to dribble.

They learn how to work together as teammates.

Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer.

10.

Where in the text can you sometimes find the main idea?

Beginning/end

Middle

11.

Key details give important information to support the main idea.

True

False

12.

Which sentence is a supporting detail that you should get enough sleep?

Many people sleep later on the weekends.

Caffeine keeps some people awake at night.

Dark rooms are best for sleeping.

Seven to nine hours keeps you refreshed the next day.

13.

Which supporting detail best supports this topic sentence?
It takes a lot of hard work to become a professional athlete.

The pros live the good life.

People like professional football players make a lot of money.

Professional athletes spend countless hours practicing their sports.

All of us can be professional athletes.

14.

Which supporting detail best supports this topic sentence?
Subway is a healthier option than McDonald's.

It's best to just cook food at home.

A lot of people choose to eat Subway for lunch and dinner.

McDonald's french fries are salty and delicious.

Subway uses fresh ingredients whereas McDonald's has processed fried food.

15.

Mount Rushmore is a huge carving in a stone cliff. The carving shows the faces of four U.S. presidents. They are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Mount Rushmore is in South Dakota. Each year many people visit this amazing sight.

What is a detail that tells about the main idea?

how the four presidents were chosen

why Mount Rushmore is in South Dakota

which presidents are at Mount Rushmore

16.

Which is an example of a topic?

Electric cars

Electric cars save energy because they don't use gas.

17.

Hummingbirds love pink or red flowers. They guard their favorite flowers and try to keep other birds away. They fight one another for food. Their wings make a whirring sound when they hover over flowers to sip nectar. The tiny birds fly long distances to go to a warmer climate for the winter. They make their tiny nests in shrubs or trees.
What is the main idea?

Hummingbirds are interesting birds

They hover over flowers to sip nectar.

They fly long distances to travel to warmer climates in the winter

They guard their favorite flowers

18.

Porpoises live in the earth's oceans and sometimes in bays and rivers near oceans. Porpoises are mammals. Their babies get their food from their mother's body. These animals live in the water, but they must come up for air. Porpoises are very interesting animals.
What is the main idea?

Porpoises live in the ocean

Porpoises are mammals

Porpoises must come up for air

Porpoises are very interesting animals

19.

Danger often appears in the most unexpected places. People usually think of the bathtub as a safe, quiet place. But more accidents occur there than anywhere else in the home. Slips or falls that occur while entering and leaving the tub injure thousands of people every year. Most people think of a baker as having a safe and pleasant job; however, rolling, kneading, and pounding dough causes clouds of flour dust, which can enter the lungs and disable the baker.
Which of the following is NOT a supporting detail?

Some activities are more dangerous than they look

thousands of people are hurt in tub accidents every year

People think bakers have a safe job

Bakers can be disable by flour in their lungs

20.

The peregrine falcon is a beautiful wild bird. It is also one of the fastest. In 1978, the peregrine falcon was placed on the endangered species list. The main reason the peregrine falcon was dying out was the use of pesticides.
Which of the following is NOT a supporting detail?

The peregrine falcon is one of the fastest wild birds

It was placed on the endangered species list

It was dying out because of pesticides

The peregrine falcon is an amazing bird

100 %

Determining Importance - Main Idea and Details

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 32mins

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