WorksheetsSummarizing and Finding Main Idea
Total questions: 15
Worksheet time: 15mins
Tomorrow is Jill's birthday. She is excited because she gets to pick where she will eat dinner. Will it be Mexican food at the Big Enchilada House? Or will it be fried chicken at the Chicken Shack, or a big cheeseburger at Al's Hamburger Palace. She just couldn't decide. Then there was always the Pizza Shop with that great pepperoni pizza. How would she ever decide? Maybe she would just flip a coin.
The Summary of this passage is:
Jill has many restaurants to choose from for her birthday.
Jill loves Mexican food.
The Pizza Shop has the best pizza in town.
Jill will choose a place by flipping a coin.
It started when they got to the bears. Peter felt tired and his stomach hurt. He dragged himself over to see the elephants, which were eating from a stack of hay. Normally, the elephants were his favorite. Without much interest, Peter followed his classmates to the camels, which were busy swatting flies with their tails. Peter knew he should be having fun at the zoo, but he just felt terrible and all he wanted to do was lie down and rest. Even the lions and tigers did not interest him now.
The Summary of this passage is:
Peter's favorite animals were the elephants.
The camels were swatting flies with their tails.
It was really hot at the zoo.
Peter didn't enjoy the zoo because he felt really bad.
Summarizing is a retelling in your own words, a short version of the main ideas, events and details.
True
False
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
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 central idea of this paragraph?
King Midas loved gold.
King Midas sold lots of gold.
King Midas had a heart of gold.
King Midas hated gold.
Which detail should be included in a summary of the article about Mary Anning?
Lyme Regis is a small seaside community.
Mary Anning's father died in an accident.
Mary Anning discovered dinosaur fossils.
Mary Anning's birthday was May 21.
The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be held in Brazil. It will be the 20th year of the World Cup. Brazil was chosen in October of 2007 to host the 2014 competition. Earlier in the year, South America had been chosen as the continent for the contest. Brazil was the only country to put in a bid. This is the second time Brazil will host the World Cup. The country hosted it in 1950. It is the first World Cup to be held in South America since 1978, when Argentina hosted. No other South American country has hosted the World Cup more than once.
The summary of this passage is:
The 20th World Cup will take place in 2014. In 2007, it was decided that the competition would be held in South America. It is the first World Cup in South America since 1978.
In October 2007, Brazil was chosen to host the 20th World Cup. Brazil has already hosted the World Cup before. 1978 was the last time a South American country hosted the World Cup.
The 2014 World Cup will be held in Brazil. It is the second time Brazil has been chosen to host the World Cup. Brazil is the only South American country to host the World Cup twice.
Early in 2007, South America was chosen as the continent for the 20th World Cup. Brazil was the only country that put in a bid. Brazil hosted the World Cup before in 1950.
Which best describes a summary?
a really long detailed piece of writing
the entire text told in your own words
a dumb thing that teachers make you write
the main ideas and important details of a text
What is the main idea?
Its the authors point of view
Is what the passage is mostly about
It is the sequence of the story.
You should determine the main idea by combining the supporting details.
True
False
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.
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.
What is the main purpose of summarizing a text?
To provide a detailed analysis of the text
To retell the text in your own words, focusing on main ideas
To list all the events in the text
To critique the author's writing style
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a good summary?
Includes personal opinions
Is concise and to the point
Covers main ideas and key details
Uses your own words
When identifying the main idea of a passage, what should you focus on?
The author's background
Supporting details that highlight the central theme
The length of the passage
The first sentence of each paragraph
