Reading Main Idea 7 Flashcards
6 cards from real PARCC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Reading Main Idea 7 flashcards as text
A student reads a paragraph about dolphins. The first sentence says, 'Dolphins are highly intelligent marine animals.' The remaining sentences give examples of dolphins solving puzzles, communicating with each other, and learning tricks. What role does the first sentence play?
Answer: It is the main idea that the rest of the paragraph supports
The first sentence states the central point — that dolphins are highly intelligent — and all other sentences provide specific examples that support this claim, making it the main idea.
Which of the following is the best way to check whether you have correctly identified the main idea of a passage?
Answer: See if the other sentences in the passage support or explain your chosen main idea
A true main idea is supported by the other sentences in the passage; if the details logically connect to and explain your chosen idea, you have identified it correctly.
A passage has five paragraphs. Each paragraph discusses a different challenge faced by sea turtles, such as pollution, habitat loss, and fishing nets. What is most likely the main idea of the entire passage?
Answer: Sea turtles face many serious threats to their survival
Since every paragraph focuses on a different challenge or threat, the unifying main idea is that sea turtles face many serious threats — this idea ties all the paragraphs together.
What is the difference between a topic and a main idea?
Answer: A topic names what the passage is about; a main idea states a specific point about that topic
The topic is the broad subject (e.g., 'recycling'), while the main idea makes a specific claim about that subject (e.g., 'Recycling helps reduce waste and protect the environment').
A student reads a passage and notices that most paragraphs give reasons why reading every day improves vocabulary, comprehension, and academic performance. Which of the following would be the best main idea statement for this passage?
Answer: Reading every day has many important benefits for students
Because all the paragraphs focus on benefits of daily reading, the main idea must capture that overarching point — that reading every day provides multiple important advantages.
While reading a passage, a student finds a sentence that includes a surprising fact but does not connect to the other sentences in the paragraph. What does this sentence most likely represent?
Answer: An off-topic or minor detail that does not support the main idea
If a sentence does not connect to or support the other sentences, it is likely a minor or off-topic detail rather than the main idea, which must be supported by the majority of the passage.