PSAE Days 1 and 2 Main Ideas and Supporting Details

Main Idea Controlling Idea Topic or subject that the passage as a whole is about Sometimes, it is clearly in the beginning or the end Sometimes, it is implied Supporting Details Facts, reasons, or examples that describe or explain the main idea Author often includes BOTH important and less-important details

Star-nosed moles live underground, in parts of the United States and Canada. Although blind, they do have small eyes that are covered with flaps of skin. They also have a distinctive star-shaped protrusion on the top of their heads, giving them their “star-nosed” name. Star-nosed moles burrow through the earth in search of earthworms, their primary food. They produce a toxin that stuns and paralyzes the earthworm. This way, they can save the worms for future consumption/ What is the main idea?

The maid idea is that the star-nosed moles are small animals that lie underground and eat earthworms. Everything else? Supporting details!

After you read, ask yourself what the passage, article, or story was about. Try to sum up your answer in one sentence. Your answer will be close to the author’s controlling idea. Do not confuse a detail from a passage with the main idea. Supporting details are there to add extra support or extra information ABOUT the main idea…or to prove a point raised by the main idea. Avoid EXTRANEOUS DETAIL Irrelevant detail. Does not constiture a vital part of the text and does not directly support the main idea.

Look at passage 1 on your worksheet. Read it and create a main idea.

HINT: Even though the passage begins by making a statement about tennis, the subject of tennis is not the main idea. POTENTIAL ANSWER: There are many similarities between tennis and badminton except badminton uses birdies instead of balls.

Answer the questions that accompany the passage. HINT: Decide how to summarize the most important material in one sentence. HINT: Decide which detail could be removed from the paragraph if necessary.

1: C 2: D

NOT TIMED Answer WHILE READING questions on a separate sheet of paper. Circle the answers for the AFTER READING section on your sheet AND write the answers on the same paper as the WHILE READING questions.

1: A 2: B 3: D 4: B 5: Benefits of the pygmy hog Specifics people can do to help Anecdotal stories about the pygmy hog