4. To find the topic of the selection, simply ask the question "Where is the selection all about?

IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA

Nikola Tesla was an inventor and physicist who is best remembered for his contributions to the AC power system and radio, but he may have also built a death ray. At a 1937 luncheon in his honor, Tesla claimed to have created a weapon that could shoot a concentrated beam of energy capable of bringing down fleets of airplanes. He further claimed to have built, demonstrated, and used this weapon. When Tesla entered negotiations with the U.S., the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union to sell his device, Tesla claimed that one of these parties had sent people to break into his room and steal his invention, but that this theft was impossible since the blueprint for the weapon was entirely in his mind. Unfortunately, Tesla died with the blueprint in his mind before anyone could get one. On second thought, maybe that’s not such a bad thing

The Betsy Ross Bridge is a famous bridge that takes cars across a huge river. It is named after a woman who has a popular story told about her. The story is said that Betsy sewed the first-ever American flag. It is true that she sewed one of the first flags.

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?

2. A main idea is the most important thought about the topic

Main idea is:

Zombies first appeared in popular culture as early as 1918. Zombies figure prominently in movies, books, video games, TV shows, and websites. Some zombie entertainment storylines are mean to be scary, while others are meant to be humorous. What is a detail that supports the main idea?

IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA

A penny for your thoughts? If it’s a 1943 copper penny, it could be worth as much as fifty thousand dollars. In 1943, most pennies were made out of steel since copper was needed for World War II, so the 1943 copper penny is ultra-rare. Another rarity is the 1955 double die penny. These pennies were mistakenly double stamped, so they have overlapping dates and letters. If it’s uncirculated, it’d easily fetch $25,000 at an auction. Now that’s a pretty penny.

What can help find the main idea?

Hank Aaron was a baseball player that was famous for hitting home runs. This means that he could hit the ball "out of the park." Hank beat many records for home runs and continues to be one of the best baseball players of all times.

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?

Mrs. Gonzales likes to paint. She likes the pretty colors. She draws a picture first. Then she uses her paints. She gives her pictures to her son.

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?

Zombies first appeared in popular culture as early as 1918. Zombies figure prominently in movies, books, video games, TV shows, and websites. Some zombie entertainment storylines are mean to be scary, while others are meant to be humorous.

What is the main idea?