WorksheetsIdentifying the Main Idea
Total questions: 20
Worksheet time: 2hrs 36mins
It was raining outside. Sue got out of bed and got dressed for school. Then, she ate breakfast and grabbed her backpack. Before Sue left the house, she probably ___________________.
got her sunglasses
made a sandwich
picked up her umbrella
put on sandals
What is the meaning of main idea?
It's the authors point of view
It's what the passage is mostly about
It is the sequence of the story.
What is the main idea?
IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA
“Hurry up! We’re going to be late to the movie,” exclaimed Neil as he tugged on his mom’s arm. He hurriedly put on his shoes and ran to the door.
Neil is _________________ about going to the movie.
Nervous
Scared
Excited
Indecisive
What is the main idea?
What is the main idea?
Life of Pi Excerpt
By Yann Martel
I was alone and orphaned, in the middle of the Pacific, hanging on to an oar, an adult tiger in front of me, sharks beneath me, a storm raging about me.Had I considered my prospects in the light of reason, I surely would have given up and let go of the oar,hoping that I might drown before being eaten. But I don’t recall that I had a single thought during those first minutes of relative safety. I didn’t even notice daybreak. I held on to the oar, I just held on, God only knows why. The elements allowed me to go on living.The lifeboat did not sink. Richard Parker kept out of sight. The sharks prowled but did not lunge. The waves splashed me but did not pull me off. I watched the ship as it disappeared with much burbling and belching. Lights flickered and went out. I looked about for my family, for survivors, for another lifeboat, for anything that might bring me hope. There was nothing. Only rain, marauding waves of black ocean and the flotsam of tragedy. The darkness melted away from the sky. The rain stopped.
What is the main idea?
The tiger keeps the survivors from safety.
The ship sinks with no survivors.
The narrator explains the shipwreck and his survival.
The elements allow the narrator to survive.
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?
Weather reporters need to know where the cold air is
Pictures help weather reporters get information out in a fast way
Their reports need to be correct, but they also need to be short
They have to know where it is raining and what types of clouds are in the area
Which of the following is NOT a supporting detail?
Do you enjoy kites? If you order right away, we will give you directions for making kites out of all kinds of materials-sticks, straws, socks, and more. All of this for only $10.95. Hurry! Time is limited.
What is this ad trying to get the reader to do?
buy information about sticks and straws.
Buy information about sock puppets.
Buy information about kite making.
Buy a read-to-fly kite.
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.
Sometimes clowns can mean serious bussiness.
Rodeo clowns protect cowboys by putting themselves in danger.
Cowboys and Rodeo Clowns are constantly in danger.
A Rodeo bull's attention is easily caught by Rodeo clowns.
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?
The most popular sport in America
Dr. James Naismith's career in teaching
The invention of Basketball
How to get students active
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.
The origins of Halloween
The New Celtic Year
Primitive traditions
Why the skeleton costume is the best for Halloween
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.
Which fuel is best to use for your car
Gasoline, diesel, and biodiesels area all fuels, but they have important differences in how they are made and used.
The benefits of biodiesel
How fuels change the way we drive
IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA
Yellowstone National Park is mainly located in Wyoming, although three percent is located in the state of Montana. The Continental Divide of North America runs diagonally through the southwestern part of the park. The park sits on the Yellowstone Plateau, which is an average elevation of 8,000 feet above sea level. This plateau is bounded on nearly all sides by mountain ranges. There are 290 waterfalls that are at least fifteen feet in the park, the highest being the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River, which falls 308 feet.
Why to visit Wyoming
Yellowstone Park's beautiful water falls
The continental Divide of North America
Physical features of the Yellowstone Park
IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA
When one hears the term "reality" applied to a show, one might expect that the events portrayed occurred naturally or, at the least, were not scripted. This is not always the case. Many reality shows occur in unreal environments, like rented mansions occupied by film crews. Such living environments do not reflect what most people understand to be "reality." Worse, there have been accusations that events not captured on film were later restaged by producers. Worse still, some involved in the production of "reality" television claim that the participants were urged to act out story lines premeditated by producers. With such accusations floating around, it's no wonder many people take reality TV to be about as real as the sitcom.
The everyday work on a set of a reality TV show.
How important is to watch reality TV shows
The similarities of reality TV with sitcoms.
Reality TV is not as real as they show you to be.
IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA
When one hears the term "reality" applied to a show, one might expect that the events portrayed occurred naturally or, at the least, were not scripted. This is not always the case. Many reality shows occur in unreal environments, like rented mansions occupied by film crews. Such living environments do not reflect what most people understand to be "reality." Worse, there have been accusations that events not captured on film were later restaged by producers. Worse still, some involved in the production of "reality" television claim that the participants were urged to act out story lines premeditated by producers. With such accusations floating around, it's no wonder many people take reality TV to be about as real as the sitcom.
The everyday work on a set of a reality TV show.
How important is to watch reality TV shows
The similarities of reality TV with sitcoms.
Reality TV is not as real as they show you to be.
Have you ever carried a stone around in your pocket? According to a tradition of the Seneca, a favorite stone can tell something about you. If your stone is smooth, it means you are gentle. A rough stone means that you follow creative ideas. Gray stones suggest that you are friendly, while brown ones mean you love nature. The shape of your stone has meaning too. A round stone says you are flexible. Is your stone oval? You are seeking a better life. What is the main idea of this passage?
It's good to carry stones in your pocket.
Stones are precious possessions.
Rough stones mean creativity.
Stones have meaning to the Seneca.
Which of the following best states the main idea of this paragraph?
