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main idea

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 5hrs 0mins

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.
 Most people have had red pizza, or pizza covered with red sauce, but have you ever had white pizza?  White pizza is made in almost the same way as red pizza: the dough rises and is rolled out, toppings are applied, and it is cooked in an oven—but the key difference is that white pizza does not have any tomato sauce on it.  Instead, a white pizza may have olive oil or no sauce at all.  I like white pizza more than red pizza because you can really taste the ingredients.  Adding some fresh tomatoes to a white pizza will give it that tomato flavor without the completely overwhelming taste of the red sauce that covers most pizzas.  If you have not had a white pizza, I recommend that you order or make one today.
a)
Compare/Contrast
b)
Sequence
c)
Descriptive
d)
Problem/Solution
3.

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.

4.

This type of structure tells about a problem and shows a solution. The reader will find words/phrases such as a problem is, solve,or solution.

a)

cause & effect

b)

problem & solution

c)

order & sequence

d)

compare & contrast

5.

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

6.

This type of structure tells about something. You may see words such as characteristics are or for example.

a)

description

b)

compare & contrast

c)

order & sequence

d)

problem & solution

7.

Aaron and Angel are friends. They look alike. They talk alike. Sometimes the dress alike. People think Aaron is Angel. People think Angel is Aaron. The boys think it is funny.

a)

Aaron and Angel are alike in many ways.

b)

Aaron is older than Angel.

c)

Angel is bigger than Aaron.

8.

This structure shows why something happened and what happened. The reader will see words/phrases such as because, as a result of, and due to.

a)

cause & effect

b)

problem & solution

c)

order & sequence

d)

compare & contrast

9.

An important farm crop in the United States is cotton. Cotton is used for making clothing. Cotton is still a popular choice for clothes because it is easy to clean and last a long time.

a)

Cotton is the most important U.S. crop.

b)

Cotton is not used today.

c)

Cotton is important for making clothes.

10.

Students who are frequently absent often have lower grades than those who have good attendance. When they are out of the classroom, students do not get to see a teacher’s lessons. Even if they get extra help, it’s usually much shorter and less detailed than the actual lesson. In addition, frequently absent students often miss tests or other assignments and don’t always make up the work.

What type of text structure is this?

a)

problem & solution

b)

order & sequence

c)

compare & contrast

d)

cause & effect

11.

Bats are interesting creatures. These mammals are shy and gentle creatures. They are nocturnal, and search for food at night. Most bats feed on insects. For example, one bat can eat hundreds of insects in an hour! Without bats, those insects would eat crops that farmers grow.

What type of text structure is this?

a)

description

b)

compare & contrast

c)

order & sequence

d)

problem & solution

12.

When we think of seaweed, we usually picture brown or green plants a foot or so in length. Seaweeds are also of other colors. Some are red. Some kinds grow to lengths of a hundred feet! These form giant seaweed forests, where many kinds of fish take shelter. What is the main idea?

a)

Why some seaweed grows so large

b)

What seaweed is like

c)

Why seaweed is red

13.
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.
14.

The range of a bird refers to the area over which it flies. some birds are able to fly great distances, and range over almost the whole world. Other birds have a very small range. they travel over areas smaller than one hundred miles. What is the main idea?

a)

Where to find a bird range

b)

Why birds like to travel

c)

How bird ranges differ

15.

Not all animals that live in the water are fish. Frogs and tadpoles, for example, spend part of their lives in water. They are amphibians, not true fish. Whales and seals are warm-blooded mammals. Some snakes live partly in water too. What is the main idea?

a)

Why just fish live in water

b)

Why whales live in water

c)

Which animals live in water

16.

Some people say that the White House has ghosts. The most famous ghost is Abraham Lincoln. He is often seen standing in his room looking out the window. Even Eleanor Roosevelt said that she saw him. There is a legend that old Abe walks back and forth all night before something terrible is about to happen. This paragraph mainly tells:

a)

what Lincoln's ghost is like

b)

when Eleanor Roosevelt's ghost walked

c)

hwo many ghosts the White House has

d)

how ghosts show when something will happen

17.

IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA

Being a clown isn't all fun and games. Rodeo clowns expose themselves to great danger every time they perform. When cowboys dismount or bulls buck them off, rodeo clowns jump in front of the bulls and motion wildly to get their attention. In this way rodeo clowns provide an alternate target, and in doing so protect the rider. Of course, this is a very dangerous thing to do. So you see, sometimes clowning around can be serious business.

a)

Sometimes clowns can mean serious bussiness.

b)

Rodeo clowns protect cowboys by putting themselves in danger.

c)

Cowboys and Rodeo Clowns are constantly in danger.

d)

A Rodeo bull's attention is easily caught by Rodeo clowns.

18.

IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA

Sometime in December of 1891, Dr. James Naismith was teaching gym at the YMCA College in Springfield, Massachusetts. It was raining, and Dr. Naismith was trying to keep his students active. He wanted them playing a rough game that would keep them moving. He didn't like a few ideas that were too rough. Then Naismith had his breakthrough. He wrote out the rules for a game with peach baskets fixed to ten-foot elevated tracks. Naismith's students played against one another, passing the ball around and shooting it into the peach baskets. Dribbling wasn't a part of the original game. Also it took a while to realize that the game would run more smoothly if the bottoms of the baskets were removed. But this game grew to be one of the most popular sports in America today. Can you guess which one?

a)

The most popular sport in America

b)

Dr. James Naismith's career in teaching

c)

The invention of Basketball

d)

How to get students active

19.

IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA

Before you put on that skeleton costume and rove door-to-door pandering for candy, take a minute to reflect on this tradition. Halloween is believed to have come from an ancient Celtic festival dating back some 2,000 years. November 1st was the Celtic New Year and marked the end of summer to the Celts. They celebrated on its eve by wearing costumes made of animal skins and dancing around bon fires. Over the next two millennia, this primitive celebration grew to be the candy fueled costume ball that we know today.

a)

The origins of Halloween

b)

The New Celtic Year

c)

Primitive traditions

d)

Why the skeleton costume is the best for Halloween

20.

IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA

You might think that all automobile fuels are the same, but they aren't. Automobiles can run on one of three types of fuel: gasoline, diesel, and biodiesel. All these fuels are burned inside of the engine, which creates the heat and energy that is used to power the car. But there are important differences between these fuels. Gasoline and diesel are more common than biodiesel. But each burns differently. Diesel fuel is heavier and less flammable than gasoline, so it has to be compressed before it will burn. Gasoline may be lighter than diesel, but both fuels are made from crude oil. On the other hand, biodiesel fuel is made from vegetables. Both biodiesel and diesel fuels must be burned in diesel engines, which only use diesel fuel. If gasoline is pumped into a diesel engine, it will have to be pumped out. These fuels may look pretty similar at the gas station, but remember that there are important differences between them or it may cost you.

a)

Which fuel is best to use for your car

b)

Gasoline, diesel, and biodiesels area all fuels, but they have important differences in how they are made and used.

c)

The benefits of biodiesel

d)

How fuels change the way we drive