Main Idea Mania Part 1 – Test Preparation Questions

1. People used to think that golf was a sport for older people. Today that is no longer true. People of all ages enjoy this sport. The golf player tries to hit a small ball into sunken cups. The object of the game is to use as few strokes as possible. The Main Idea is: a.Golf is a sport for people of all ages. b.Golf is a simple sport to play. c.Golfing equipment is expensive.

The Main Idea is: a. Golf is a sport for people of all ages. 1.

2. Everything that is living needs to have food. Different kinds of living things need different kinds of food. Plants make their own food. Some animals eat plants. Others eat smaller animals. Man in an example of an animal that may eat both plants and animals. The Main Idea is: a.All livings things need food. b.Animals make their own food. c.Plants eat other plants.

The Main Idea is: a. All living things need food. 2.

3. Earthworms are the most important food in a mole’s diet. The mole finds the earthworm as it tunnels through the earth. The mole is only 6 inches long with a pig-like nose and furless tail. The mole spends most of its life in darkness. The Main Idea is: a.To describe the mole. b.To describe the earthworm’s importance. c.To describe underground creatures.

The Main Idea is: a. To describe the mole. 3.

4. The Pacific Ocean is the world’s largest ocean. It covers about a third of the earth. The Pacific Ocean is also the deepest ocean. It touches the shores of 5 of the world’s 7 continents. Throughout the Pacific, there are thousands of islands. The Main Idea is: a.To discuss the importance of the Pacific. b.To compare the Pacific to other oceans. c.To describe the Pacific Ocean.

The Main Idea is: c. To describe the Pacific Ocean. 4.

5. The person who leads a marching band is called the drum major. This person wears a special costume with a very tall hat. The job of the drum major is to give the band the beat of the music. The drum major uses a whistle and a baton to signal steps in the march. The Main Idea is: a.The drum major is important to a marching band. b.The drum major must be tall so everybody can see him. c.Only a boy can be a drum major.

The Main Idea is: a. The drum major is important to a marching band. 5.

6. Forests are valuable to man. There are many products we use in everyday life which come from the forest. Wood, paper, turpentine, tar, fruits, and nuts are among the most common. To protect the forest from its worst enemy, fire, forest rangers watch over our forests. The Main Idea is: a.Forest are found only in the North. b.The United States has only a few forests. c.Forests provide many important products.

The Main Idea is: c. Forests provide many important products. 6.

7. Aluminum is a strong, lightweight metal. It is used in construction and transportation. Aluminum is used all over the world. More aluminum is made than any other metal. The United States makes almost half of the world’s aluminum. The Main Idea is: a.Aluminum is very valuable. b.Aluminum is scarce. c.Aluminum has many uses.

The Main Idea is: c. Aluminum has many uses. 7.

8. Jane wants to be a world famous swimmer. She wants to go to the Olympics and win a gold metal. Jane knows that this means she will have to practice 5 to 6 hours every day till she goes to the Olympics. To help her be an even better swimmer, she has a coach watch her and see how she can swim faster. The Main Idea is a.It takes much practice to be an outstanding swimmer. b.Jane has a swimming pool in her backyard. c.Jane has won a medal at the Olympics.

The Main Idea is: a. It takes much practice to be an outstanding swimmer. 8.

9. Sam’s favorite game is ping pong. In Sam’s basement there is a ping pong table. Sam often plays against his brother, Tom. Many times he and Tom will make a team and play against 2 other friends. Both Sam and Tom are good ping pong players. The Main Idea is a.Ping Pong is a game for 1 person. b.Ping Pong is a game for only two people. c.Two or four may play ping pong.

The Main Idea is: c. Two or four may play ping pong. 9.

10. The Alps are a good place to vacation at any time of the year. Winter sports are the most popular tourist attraction. People from all over the world come to ski the well known mountain slopes. Also popular are bobsledding and ice skating. The Main Idea is a.The Alps are most popular for winter sports. b.The Alps are very dangerous. c.The Alps are crowded with tourists.

The Main Idea is: a. The Alps are most popular for winter sports. 10.

11. Lynn’s first trip in an airplane was exciting. She was flying from California to New York to see her grandparents. The plane was a 747 jumbo jet. Lynn liked the inside of the plane. It was comfortable. Lynn enjoyed the trip but was glad to get back down on the ground. The Main Idea is: a.Lynn disliked the airplane. b.The airplane trip was enjoyable to Lynn. c.Airplane trips are always fun.

The Main Idea is: b. The airplane trip was enjoyable to Lynn. 11.