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Theme, Central Idea, Inferences, Author's Purpose

Total questions: 32

Worksheet time: 2hrs 30mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Joe had been fishing for over two hours without a single bite. Suddenly there was a nibble at the end of his fishing line. He stood up on the boat and leaned out too far. Just then there was a sharp yank on the line. Joe fell overboard and landed head first into the water. Joe and his friends laughed and laughed.


What is the author's purpose?

a)

to Inform

b)

to Entertain

c)

to Persuade

2.

The Underground Railroad was a secret organization which helped slaves escape to freedom. Many slaves were able to escape because of the conductors and station masters. The northern states were free states and slaves were free once they arrived in the north. Secret codes and signals were used to identify the conductors and station masters.


What is the author's purpose?

a)

to Inform

b)

to Entertain

c)

to Persuade

3.
Ted was anxious to try out for the basketball team. He had practiced and knew he was ready. Tryouts made him a little nervous, but when he found out he made the team he knew that all the work had paid off.
What is the author's purpose?
a)
to tell a story about a boy who worked hard
b)
to teach how to play basketball
c)
to persuade you to try out for the basketball team
d)
to explain the rules of basketball
4.
It's important to go to school. What you learn in school will help you later in life. It will also help you get a job. If you work hard in school and make good grades, you may be able to go to college and have a career.
What is the author's purpose?
a)
to entertain with a story about school
b)
to teach you how to get good grades
c)
to persuade you to work hard in school
d)
to explain the best colleges
5.
Rules are very important. They help keep things running smoothly. Rules let you know what you can and cannot do whether you are playing a game or explaining how to act in class. You should follow rules; they help people get along.
What is the author's purpose?
a)
to entertain with a story about people who follow the rules
b)
to inform about the rules of games
c)
to persuade people to follow the rules
d)
to explain the rules of chess
6.

What is a biography?

a)

A made up story

b)

A real account of a real event

c)

A real account of someone's life

7.

Which things would expect to see in a biography?

a)

Diary or journal entries

b)

A real story of someone's whole life

c)

A story about one event in someone's life

d)

Direct quotes from someone who knew the subject

8.
School uniforms are far cheaper than the currently popular fashions. Many students work long hours at a paying job instead of doing homework because they feel they have to "keep up appearances." If students wore uniforms, there would be no need for most of them to have jobs that take away from their study time.

This passage is mostly about?
a)
popular fashions being expensive
b)
school uniforms being a good idea.
c)
students working many hours at jobs.
d)
teens enjoying wearing uniforms.
9.
"Are you already done?" his father asked. "It seems like you just got in the water." Jacob was finished with his bath in two minutes. He got his body and hair wet, rubbed  shampoo on his hair, washed his body with soap, and rinsed off. He liked fast baths so to have more time to play. In fact, Jacob never took a long bath. To him, the faster the bath, the better.
What is the central idea of the passage?
a)
Jacob is very clean
b)
Jacob never too showers
c)
Jacob likes to take fast baths
10.
What is the central idea?
 There are many types of lethal venom in the animal kingdom, but perhaps no stranger carrier than the platypus. The platypus is one of few venomous mammals.  Males carry a venom cocktail in their ankle spurs that incapacitates victims with excruciating pain.  Stranger still, the platypus is the only mammal that uses electroreception.  What this means is that the platypus uses its bill to sense the electricity produced by the muscular movements of its prey.  The platypus neither sees, hears, nor smells its prey while hunting but, rather, pursues it through electroreception.  Perhaps most odd, the platypus is the only mammal that lays eggs rather than giving birth to live young.  The platypus is an odd creature indeed.  
a)
The platypus is an odd, poisonous creature.
b)
Platypus males have a poison ankle spur.
c)
Platypus can sense electricity
d)
None of these options
11.
Excerpt from: The Great Blue Hole
By: Rebecca Sparling
The poor water circulation inside most blue holes makes them anoxic. This means that oxygen levels are extremely low at certain depths. The unfavorable environment makes it difficult for marine plants and animals to survive, but large numbers of bacteria seem to flourish in these holes. Some divers claim to spot the occasional shark in the deeper parts of the hole where the water is much clearer. Explorers and scientists believe that a series of underwater tunnels might connect the hole to the mainland. The hazards of exploring such a network make this theory difficult to verify.
 
Q: In this passage the word verify means
a)
invest 
b)
locate
c)
 protect 
d)
prove
12.
What is a topic?
a)
the writer's opinion about a text
b)
the general subject of a text
c)
the details that explain the text
d)
a retelling of the most important ideas
13.
 In 1972, five men broke into offices of the Democratic Party in Washington, D.C. Members of the media and Congress connected the burglary to members of President Nixon's reelection campaign. Nixon and his staff denied the accusations and committed illegal acts to hide the truth. As the House of Representatives debated impeaching Nixon, he resigned in disgrace rather than face a vote of impeachment. This episode will forever be known as the Watergate scandal; named after the office building that was burglarized.
What is this paragraph mostly about?
a)
The U.S. Congress
b)
Impeachment
c)
The Watergate scandal
d)
President Nixon
14.
a)
Splitting the room in half can be a good way to tackle a painting job
b)
It’s better to do things right the first time
c)
If you have a good suggestion, adults will agree with it
d)
Painting a room can be a time-consuming task.
15.
a)
eating too much candy can make you sick
b)
Think things through when deciding between two activities.
c)
Selfishness can have negative consequences
d)
Don't expect others to give you something just because you made a bad choice
16.
a)
Be an alert passenger when others are driving.
b)
Don't text and drive when traffic is heavy.
c)
Reckless behavior can hurt you and others.
d)
When you make a mistake, admit it.
17.
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.
18.
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.
19.
What is the best definition of THEME?
a)
A universal truth, moral, or idea that the author wants to express. 
b)
The location and time of the story
c)
The events that occur in the story
d)
The author's reason for writing a story
20.

First person point of view uses

a)

I, me, and we

b)

He, she, they

c)

You, yours

21.

Third person point of view uses

a)

I, me, and we

b)

He, she, they

c)

You, yours

22.

Which sentence is in first person?

a)

"I can't wait to get home," Jason thought to himself.

b)

He passed out the computers for the teacher.

c)

This story is all about my life.

23.

All the way up the mountain, I could hear Grandpa yelling from the cabin.


Which point of view is the following sentence?

(a)  

24.
An INFERENCE is...
a)
A logical conclusion
b)
A guess based on evidence
c)
Both
25.
To make good inferences you need to...
a)
read fast
b)
pay attention to details
c)
look up every unfamiliar word
d)
pick your nose
26.
In your daily life, you can make inferences about people by observing their behavior.
a)
true
b)
false
27.
When making an inference, the most important thing is...
a)
What you know about the topic
b)
The topic of the text
c)
The characters in the text
d)
Being able to prove your inference using evidence from the text.
28.
If a student got 100% on his work, what could you infer?
a)
He listened and studied.
b)
He didn't come to school that day.
c)
He didn't listen in class.
d)
He copied off of his neighbor.
29.
Max was baking some cookies, but then he got an important phone call. He returned a few minutes later to a smoke filled kitchen. What can you infer?
a)
The oven has turned off.
b)
Max forgot about the cookies and they are burning.
c)
A candle was blown out in the kitchen.
d)
The cookies are cooling on the baking pan.
30.
What is wrong with Carol?
a)
She is upset because she has been waiting on hold for a long time.
b)
She is sick and calling in to work.
c)
She hit her head.
d)
Her coffee is too hot!
31.
When Sarah was telling about her last place finish in the competition, her cheeks turned red and she had trouble looking her friend in the eyes.
How is Sarah feeling?
a)
Sarah is extremely happy about her competition.
b)
Sarah is embarrassed about finishing last.
c)
Sarah is annoyed with her friend.
d)
Sarah can't remember the details of her competition.
32.

What two things do you put together to make an inference?

a)

Educated guesses

b)

Prior knowledge

c)

Details from the text

d)

Summaries of the text