Nelson-Denny Reading Test Reading Comprehension: Identifying Main Ideas 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A passage argues: 'Remote work increases employee productivity, reduces overhead costs for companies, and lowers carbon emissions from commuting. However, it can also lead to social isolation and blurred work-life boundaries.' What is the main idea?
- Remote work is harmful to employees' mental health.
- Companies save money when employees work from home.
- Remote work offers significant benefits but also presents notable challenges. (Correct answer)
- Carbon emissions are reduced when fewer people commute.
Correct answer: Remote work offers significant benefits but also presents notable challenges.
The passage presents both advantages and drawbacks of remote work, so the main idea must reflect this balanced view.
Question 2: Which technique best helps a reader identify the main idea when a passage lacks a clear topic sentence?
- Choose the idea mentioned most times by word count.
- Identify what all the supporting details have in common. (Correct answer)
- Select the first complete sentence of the passage.
- Look for the longest paragraph.
Correct answer: Identify what all the supporting details have in common.
When no explicit topic sentence exists, the main idea is inferred by finding the common thread that unifies all supporting details.
Question 3: A passage reads: 'Despite its small size, Singapore has one of the world's highest GDPs per capita, a thriving port economy, and a world-class education system.' What is the main idea?
- Singapore's port is central to its economy.
- Small countries cannot achieve economic success without trade.
- Singapore achieves remarkable economic and educational success despite its small size. (Correct answer)
- Education is the primary driver of Singapore's wealth.
Correct answer: Singapore achieves remarkable economic and educational success despite its small size.
The contrast between Singapore's small size and its impressive achievements is the central point of the passage.
Question 4: A student reads a passage and summarizes it as: 'Ancient Egyptians used hieroglyphics.' The passage actually covers the development, decoding, and cultural significance of hieroglyphics across centuries. The student's summary is:
- Correct, because it names the subject of the passage.
- Too narrow — it captures only one fact, not the full main idea. (Correct answer)
- Too broad — it mentions too many topics.
- Accurate if the passage is short.
Correct answer: Too narrow — it captures only one fact, not the full main idea.
A summary that reduces a multi-faceted passage to a single basic fact is too narrow to represent the main idea.
Question 5: A passage presents statistics showing that reading for pleasure correlates with higher vocabulary, better empathy, and improved academic performance in students. What is the main idea?
- Academic performance depends primarily on vocabulary size.
- Reading for pleasure is associated with multiple cognitive and emotional benefits for students. (Correct answer)
- Students who read more score higher on standardized tests.
- Empathy can be taught through literature classes.
Correct answer: Reading for pleasure is associated with multiple cognitive and emotional benefits for students.
The passage links pleasure reading to several benefits, so the main idea encompasses all of them rather than just one.
Question 6: On the Nelson-Denny Reading Test, if you finish reading a passage and cannot easily state its main idea in one sentence, the best strategy is to:
- Choose the answer that mentions the most facts.
- Reread the first and last paragraphs to identify the unifying point. (Correct answer)
- Select the answer with the most specific language.
- Pick the answer that paraphrases the longest paragraph.
Correct answer: Reread the first and last paragraphs to identify the unifying point.
First and last paragraphs typically introduce and restate the main idea, making them the best places to reorient when the main idea is unclear.
Question 7: A passage about the history of antibiotics covers Fleming's discovery of penicillin, mass production during WWII, and the current crisis of antibiotic resistance. The main idea is best stated as:
- Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin by accident.
- Antibiotics were crucial to the Allied victory in WWII.
- Antibiotics revolutionized medicine but now face a critical resistance problem. (Correct answer)
- Antibiotic resistance is caused by overuse in livestock.
Correct answer: Antibiotics revolutionized medicine but now face a critical resistance problem.
The passage spans discovery, impact, and modern threat, so the main idea must bridge all three time periods and themes.
Nelson-Denny Reading Test Reading Comprehension: Identifying Main Ideas 3
A passage argues: 'Remote work increases employee productivity, reduces overhead costs for companies, and lowers carbon emissions from commuting.
However, it can also lead to social isolation and blurred work-life boundaries.' What is the main idea?