IREAD Nonfiction: Main Idea & Details 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A passage says: 'Bees visit flowers to collect nectar. They carry pollen from flower to flower. This helps plants grow new seeds. Many crops depend on bees to survive.' What is the main idea?
- Bees collect nectar from flowers.
- Bees are important for helping plants reproduce. (Correct answer)
- Crops need seeds to grow.
- Flowers produce pollen.
Correct answer: Bees are important for helping plants reproduce.
The whole passage explains how bees help plants by moving pollen, making them essential to plant reproduction.
Question 2: Which detail from a nonfiction passage about dolphins BEST supports the main idea that dolphins are intelligent animals?
- Dolphins live in the ocean.
- Dolphins can learn tricks and solve puzzles. (Correct answer)
- Dolphins breathe air through a blowhole.
- Dolphins swim in groups called pods.
Correct answer: Dolphins can learn tricks and solve puzzles.
Learning tricks and solving puzzles directly supports the idea that dolphins are intelligent.
Question 3: A student reads: 'The library has thousands of books. It also has computers and magazines. People can borrow movies and music too. The library is a great place to learn and explore.' The main idea is that the library —
- has thousands of books for reading.
- lends movies and music to visitors.
- offers many different resources for learning. (Correct answer)
- is a quiet place to study after school.
Correct answer: offers many different resources for learning.
The passage lists books, computers, magazines, movies, and music to show the library has many learning resources.
Question 4: In a nonfiction text, a supporting detail usually —
- states the author's opinion about the topic.
- gives specific information that explains the main idea. (Correct answer)
- introduces a completely new topic.
- summarizes the entire passage.
Correct answer: gives specific information that explains the main idea.
Supporting details provide specific facts or examples that explain and back up the main idea.
Question 5: A passage reads: 'Rain fills rivers and lakes. It soaks into the ground and feeds plant roots. Rain refills reservoirs that supply drinking water. Without rain, life on Earth could not survive.' Which sentence states the main idea?
- Rain fills rivers and lakes.
- Rain soaks into the ground.
- Rain is essential to all living things on Earth. (Correct answer)
- Reservoirs supply drinking water to people.
Correct answer: Rain is essential to all living things on Earth.
The final sentence sums up what all the details prove — that rain is essential to life.
Question 6: Which question helps a reader identify the main idea of a nonfiction passage?
- What is the most interesting word in the passage?
- What is this passage mostly about? (Correct answer)
- Which sentence has the most details?
- What happened first in the passage?
Correct answer: What is this passage mostly about?
Asking 'What is this mostly about?' focuses attention on the central message rather than minor details.
Question 7: A reader finishes a passage about recycling and wants to check the main idea. The BEST way is to —
- count how many times the word 'recycling' appears.
- reread the first and last sentences to find the central message. (Correct answer)
- list every fact mentioned in the passage.
- find the longest sentence in the passage.
Correct answer: reread the first and last sentences to find the central message.
The first and last sentences often contain the topic introduction and the concluding main idea statement.
IREAD Nonfiction: Main Idea & Details 2
A passage says: 'Bees visit flowers to collect nectar.
They carry pollen from flower to flower.
This helps plants grow new seeds.
Many crops depend on bees to survive.' What is the main idea?