PARCC - Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers Reading Main Idea 9

Question 1

A student reads a paragraph about dolphins. The first sentence says, 'Dolphins are highly intelligent marine mammals.' The rest of the paragraph gives examples of dolphins solving puzzles, using tools, and communicating. What role does the first sentence play?

Accepted Answer

It states the main idea of the paragraph

Answer

The first sentence makes the central claim (dolphins are highly intelligent), and all the examples that follow support that claim, making it the main idea sentence.

Question 2

Which of the following is the BEST way to check that you have correctly identified the main idea of a passage?

Accepted Answer

Verify that the supporting details in the passage connect to and support your main idea

Answer

A correctly identified main idea will be supported by the details throughout the passage. If the details do not connect to your chosen main idea, you have likely selected a supporting detail instead.

Question 3

A passage has five paragraphs. Four paragraphs describe ways that recycling helps the environment, and one paragraph explains how recycling programs work. What is most likely the main idea of the entire passage?

Accepted Answer

Recycling is beneficial for the environment

Answer

The majority of the passage focuses on environmental benefits of recycling, so that is the central point the author is making across the whole text.

Question 4

What is the difference between a topic and a main idea?

Accepted Answer

A topic is the general subject of a passage; a main idea is the specific point the author makes about that topic

Answer

The topic names the general subject (e.g., 'volcanoes'), while the main idea expresses what the author wants you to understand about that subject (e.g., 'Volcanoes can dramatically reshape landscapes').

Question 5

A student reads a passage and picks the main idea. Her teacher says she picked a detail that is too specific. What mistake did the student most likely make?

Accepted Answer

She chose one example or fact from the passage instead of the overall point

Answer

When a student selects a detail that is too specific, it means she chose a single example or fact rather than the broader point that ties all the details together.

PARCC Practice Test

PARCC Practice Test

PARCC - Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers Reading Main Idea 9