Practice Test Geeks(IREAD) Indiana Reading Evaluation and Determination Practice Test
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Nonfiction: Main Idea & Details Flashcards

7 cards from real IREAD practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Nonfiction: Main Idea & Details flashcards as text

  1. A passage about the ocean states: 'The ocean covers more than 70% of Earth. It is home to millions of species. Oceans help control Earth's temperature. Scientists have explored less than 20% of the ocean.' What is the main idea?

    Answer: The ocean is vast and plays a vital role on Earth.

    The details about size, species, temperature control, and exploration all point to the ocean being large and important.

  2. A nonfiction article has a heading that reads 'How Seeds Travel.' The BEST main idea for this section would be —

    Answer: Seeds can spread through wind, water, and animals.

    The heading 'How Seeds Travel' signals that the main idea is about the methods seeds use to move from place to place.

  3. Read: 'George Washington Carver found hundreds of uses for peanuts, including soap, ink, and cooking oil. He also developed uses for sweet potatoes and soybeans.' A SUPPORTING DETAIL is —

    Answer: Carver discovered that peanuts can be made into soap and ink.

    Naming specific products like soap and ink from peanuts is a concrete detail that supports the main idea about Carver's discoveries.

  4. A student reads a long article and cannot find the main idea. The BEST strategy is to —

    Answer: ask what most of the details have in common.

    Finding what the details share in common leads to identifying the central message of the passage.

  5. Which detail does NOT belong in a paragraph with the main idea 'Exercise helps keep your body healthy'?

    Answer: Some people prefer to exercise in the morning.

    When people prefer to exercise is a preference, not a detail about health benefits, so it does not support the main idea.

  6. A passage about the Moon says: 'The Moon has no air or water. Its surface is covered with craters. Temperatures on the Moon can be very hot or very cold.' This paragraph is MOSTLY about —

    Answer: the harsh and extreme conditions on the Moon.

    No air, no water, craters, and extreme temperatures all describe harsh conditions on the Moon's surface.

  7. When a nonfiction passage repeats a word or idea several times, that repetition usually signals the —

    Answer: main idea of the passage.

    Authors repeat key words and ideas to emphasize the central message they want readers to understand.