1. Main Idea

2. Every passage has two parts:
What is main idea?
Every passage has two parts:
Main idea (central idea) - the most important thing the author says
Details - additional sentences that support the main idea

3. Main Idea
Sometimes the main idea is stated (usually the first sentence of the passage).
Other times, it is implied. You must read the entire passage and determine what it is mostly about.

4. Imagine yourself describing the passage to a friend.
Tips & Tricks
Imagine yourself describing the passage to a friend.
Nonfiction passages sometimes have subheadings or graphs that will help you find the main idea.

5. Tips & Tricks
Look for other main idea questions, such as:
This passage is mostly about…
What is the best title for the story?
What would be the best moral of the story?

6. What’s the main idea?
Squirrel Hollow is not a big town. In fact, it is so small, the Water Department is a hand pump in the town square And the Squirrel Hollow Fire Department is made up of one bucket, two hoses, and a red ten-speed bike.

7. What’s the main idea?
Juan stood with his left foot firmly planted on third base. He listened to the cheers. It was his fourth hit of the game. Two of them had been homeruns. His hitting had been excellent, as usual, pushing the Rebels to an 8-3 lead. There was no doubt- Juan was the best player in the league.

8. What’s the main idea?
Jen kind of floated through the rest of the day, aware that her neck was burning and that most of the reason for that was that Arthur was sitting three seats behind her in class. When it was time to go home, Jen didn’t have the nerve to look over her shoulder at him. But as she sat on the bus, she glanced in Arthur’s direction, and he smiled at her.

9. Think It Through
Now that you’ve put the main idea in your own words, pick the best multiple choice answer.
What is the main idea of the passage?
Jen’s neck burns in class one day.
Arthur sits three seats behind Jen.
Jen gets nervous when Arthur is near.
On the bus, Arthur smiles at Jen.

10. Identify the main idea in each paragraph
Identify the main idea in each paragraph. Click on the sentence that states the main idea.

11. Lantern fish live near the bottom
of the ocean. It is very dark there so they carry their own lights, called photophores. The lights look like tiny, glowing pearls. A lantern fish can flash its photophores on and off.
1) The lights look like tiny glowing pearls.
2) Lantern fish live near the bottom of the ocean so they carry their own lights.

12. sorry
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13. CORRECT

14. The backswimmer has a rounded back and a flat underside
The backswimmer has a rounded back and a flat underside. When it floats on its back it looks like a little boat. It rows itself along in the water using its two back legs like oars. The backswimmer spends most of its time upside down.
The backswimmer spends most of its time upside down.
2) The backswimmer has a rounded back and a flat underside.

15. sorry
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16. CORRECT

17. When Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke, people listened
When Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke, people listened. Poor people, rich people, white people, black people, people from other countries- they all listened. Many helped him work, march, sing, and pray for justice. He asked people not to fight with each other. He suggested peaceful ways to solve problems. Martin Luther King, Jr. had a special talent for leadership.
1) Many people listened to Martin Luther King, Jr.
2) Martin Luther King, Jr. was an influential leader.

18. sorry
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19. CORRECT

20. 2) The lightning is a mile away for every five seconds that you count.
The next time you see lightning, count the number of seconds that pass until you hear thunder. The lightning is one mile away for every five seconds that you count. In this way, you can “measure” how far the lightning is from you. Scientists know that the speed of light is faster than the speed of sound. So calculating the difference between the two speeds, they have developed this easy, five-second formula.
1) You can figure out how far away lightning is.
2) The lightning is a mile away for every five seconds that you count.

21. sorry
TRY AGAIN.

22. CORRECT

23. That's all folks!