Main Idea

Main Idea
Directions: Read each passage and ask yourself, What is the author doing in this
paragraph? Write your answer in the summary box and then think of an appropriate
title for the passage based on the main idea of the passage.
1. A penny for your thoughts? If its a 1943 copper penny, it could be worth as much
as fifty thousand dollars. In 1943, most pennies were made out of steel since copper
was needed for World War II, so the 1943 copper penny is ultra-rare. Another rarity is
the 1955 double die penny. These pennies were mistakenly double stamped, so they
have overlapping dates and letters. If its uncirculated, itd easily fetch $25,000 at an
auction. Now thats a pretty penny.
Summarize this paragraph in one sentence. Be specific and clearly explain the main idea.
This paragraph is about rare and valuable pennies.
An appropriate
title: _____________________________________________________________
2. Before you put on that Angry Birds costume and exhaust yourself roving from door
to door pandering for candy, take a minute to reflect on the tradition in which you are
taking part. Halloween is believed to have come from an ancient Celtic festival dating
back some 2,000 years. November 1st was the Celtic New Year and marked the end of
summer to the Celts, so they celebrated on its eve by wearing costumes made of
animal skins and dancing around bon fires. Over the next two millennia, this
primitive celebration grew to be candy fueled costume ball that we know today.
This paragraph is about the origins of Halloween.
An appropriate title:
_____________________________________________________________
3. When one hears the term reality applied to a television show, one might expect
that the events portrayed occurred naturally or, at the least, were not scripted, but this
is not always the case. Many reality shows occur in unreal environments, like rented
mansions occupied by film crews. Such living environments do not reflect what most
people understand to be reality. Worse, there have been accusations that events not
captured on film were later restaged by producers. Worse still, some involved in the
production of reality television claim that the participants were urged to act out
story lines premeditated by producers. With such accusations floating around, its no
wonder many people take reality TV to be about as real as the sitcom.
This paragraph is about how reality television isn't always "real."
_____________________________________________________________
4. It is estimated that over twenty million pounds of candy corn are sold in the US each year. Brachs,
the top manufacturer, sells enough candy corn to circle the earth 4.25 times if each piece were laid end to
end. Thats a lot of candy corn, but thats nothing compared to Tootsie Roll production. Over 64 million
Tootsie Rolls are produced every day! But even Tootsie Rolls have got nothing on the candy industrys
staple product, chocolate. Confectioners manufacture over twenty billion pounds of chocolate in
the United States each year. Now thats a mouthful!
This paragraph is about how much of popular candies are produced each year.
_____________________________________________________________
5. Screech! When a driver pushes on the brake pedal, it initiates a process that causes the vehicle to stop
in motion. You literally trust automotive braking systems with your life every time you get into a vehicle
or cross at a busy intersection, but how does this process work? It begins when the pedal is pushed. At
this moment brake fluid is released into the area where the breaking mechanisms are. As the fluid
collects, this creates a leverage, which causes a friction to be applied. If the breaking system is
functioning properly, this friction will create a force that will cause the wheels to stop and allow you to
reach your destination safely.
This paragraph is about how a braking system functions on an automobile.
_____________________________________________________________
6. There are many types of lethal venom in the animal kingdom, but perhaps no stranger carrier than the
platypus. The platypus is one of few venomous mammals. Males carry a venom cocktail in their ankle
spurs that incapacitates victims with excruciating pain. Stranger still, the platypus is the only mammal
that uses electroreception. What this means is that the platypus uses its bill to sense the electricity
produced by the muscular movements of its prey. The platypus neither sees, hears, nor smells its prey
while hunting but, rather, pursues it through electroreception. Perhaps most odd, the platypus is the only
mammal that lays eggs rather than giving birth to live young. The platypus is an odd creature
indeed.
This paragraph is about strange and uniques attributes of the platypus.
_____________________________________________________________
7. Yellowstone National Park is mainly located in Wyoming, although three percent is located in the state
of Montana. The Continental Divide of North America runs diagonally through the southwestern part of
the park. The park sits on the Yellowstone Plateau, which is an average elevation of 8,000 feet above sea
level. This plateau is bounded on nearly all sides by mountain ranges. There are 290 waterfalls that are
at least fifteen feet in the park, the highest being the Lower Falls of theYellowstone River, which falls 308
feet.
This paragraph is about physical featurs of Yellowstone Park.
_____________________________________________________________
Main Idea 2
1. Being a clown isnt all fun and games. Rodeo clowns expose themselves to great
danger every time they perform. When cowboys dismount or are bucked off of bulls
at riding competitions, rodeo clowns jump in front of the bulls and motion wildly to
get their attention. In this way rodeo clowns provide an alternate target, and in doing
so protect the rider. So you see, sometimes clowning around can be serious business.
Rodeo clowns protect cowboys by putting themselves in danger.
_____________________________________________________________
2. The wolverine, a medium sized mammal weighing no more than 50 lbs., has
earned its reputation for ferocity with its documented ability to kill prey many times
its size. The reason why wolverines have so many conflicts with other animals
(including wolves, cougars, and even bears) is probably because of the wolverines
preferred hunting style. Rather than chasing down or tricking its prey like most
hunters, the wolverine prefers to take its meals directly from other hunters. So while a
polar bear or a lone wolf might be enjoying a hard earned carcass, a hungry wolverine
may try to take his lunch. This keeps the wolverine in plenty of fights.
The wolverine is very tough and takes its meals from other animals.
_____________________________________________________________
3. Sometime in December of 1891, Dr. James Naismith, a gym teacher at
the YMCA College in Springfield, Massachusetts was trying to keep his gym class
active on a rainy day. He wanted a vigorous game that would keep his students
moving. After rejecting a few other ideas because they were too rough or not suited
for the walled-in gym, Naismith wrote out the rules for a game with peach baskets
fixed to ten-foot elevated tracks. Naismiths students played against one another,
passing the ball around and shooting it into the peach baskets. Dribbling wasnt a part
of the original game, and it took a while to realize that the game would run more
smoothly if the bottoms of the baskets were removed, but this game grew to be one of
the most popular sports in America today. Can you guess which one?
This paragraph is about the invention of basketball.
_____________________________________________________________
4. Whats that humming sound? Could it be hummingbird, the only bird capable of
backward flight? Hummingbirds have many unique flight habits that distinguish them
from other birds. Most birds flap their wings up and down to fly, but the
hummingbird moves its wings forward and backward very rapidly in a figure eight
pattern. This allows the hummingbird to hover in position, fly upside down, and
move about very rapidly. And while other birds have to push off with their feet to
begin flying, and work their ways up to their top speeds, the hummingbird can both
start flying at maximum speed and stop flying instantaneously. After youve seen a
hummingbird in flight, its unlikely that youll mistake them for another bird.
The hummingbird flys in a totally unique and unusual way.
_____________________________________________________________
5. Remember, if something is worth doing, it is worth doing correctly. That said, the
key to making perfect cookies is merely a matter of preparation and precision. To
begin with, read your cookie recipe thoroughly before baking. Make sure that you
have all of the necessary ingredients before you continue. Next, use good tools and
utensils. Sometimes, the craftsperson is only as good as his or her tools. By using
good tools you can minimize mistakes and improve the quality of your
product. Lastly, you should use top quality ingredients. Unlike in the fairytales, you
cant turn lead into gold. If you use poor quality materials, youll create an inferior
product. So, to make perfect cookies you should use the highest quality materials
available. Bon apatite!
This paragraph explains how to make perfect cookies.
_____________________________________________________________
6. The term machine gun is commonly applied to any gun that is designed to fire
repeatedly and in rapid succession for as long as the trigger is held down. During the
course of warfare, the trigger of some machine guns may be held down almost
continuously for hours to create suppressant fire (rounds fired not necessarily to kill
an enemy, but to prevent them from attacking). All of this firing can generate a lot of
heat, which may cause the weapon to overheat and malfunction. But this situation has
been addressed in a number of ways. For one, practically all machine guns fire from
an open bolt, which allows air to cool the breach between bursts of fire. Additionally,
some machine guns have removable barrels, which allow hot barrels to be
replaced. And some advanced machine guns even have sophisticated barrel cooling
systems, which maintain a functional heat level within the weapon. As you might
have concluded, a lot of brain power has gone into keeping those guns firing.
Machine guns overheat and there are different ways to address the issue.
_____________________________________________________________
Main Idea with Robots

1. What do you get when you cross a robot and an astronaut? A
Robonaut! Robonauts are robot helpers designed to work side-by-side with
astronauts. Work on the first Robonaut began in 1997, and by 2002 Robonaut B was
revealed to the public. Robonaut B may have featured interchangeable lower bodies,
like four-wheel mode or hydraulic legs, but scientists and engineers continued to
improve Robonaut. In February of 2010, Robonaut 2 was released to the
public. Robonaut 2 moved four times faster than the first Robonaut. An advanced
version of Robonaut 2 was finally tested in outer space in 2011. Robonaut functioned
exactly as designed.
Robonauts have improved over the years.
_____________________________________________________________
2. Automation is the use of machines to reduce the need for human labor. In other
words automation is when jobs done by people become jobs done by
robots. Automation can be a good thing. Because of automation, clothing, cars, and
other manufactured products are available at good prices and in large supply. But
automation can also be a bad thing. Because of automation, there are over 700,000
robots in America alone that do jobs once performed by humans. The way of
automation may not be best for humanity, but it is the course we are taking.
Automation is both good and bad for humanity.
_____________________________________________________________
3. From airplanes to forklifts, hydraulic power is the strength behind many amazing
technologies that affect our daily lives, even the breaks on your school bus, but how
do they work? First, fluid is rapidly released into a chamber through a valve. As the
fluid collect, the valve is slammed shut which causes a pressure spike. Because the
chamber is sealed, the pressure has nowhere to go. The hydraulic mechanism
channels the pressure and provides great power. And thats how, with the help of
hydraulics, Grandma can stop a car with one foot.
This paragraph is about how hydraulics work.
_____________________________________________________________
4. Many people use the words cyborg and android interchangeably when, in fact, they
have different meanings. Both terms refer to beings powered by robotics, but an
android is powered entirely by robots. Though androids are completely mechanical,
they are designed to look like humans. They may have synthetic skin, hair, and other
features, but no human organs. On the other hand, cyborgs are part human and part
machine. They may have robotic hands, legs, or eyes, but all cyborgs have surgically
implanted technologies that enhance their abilities.
This paragraph compares and contrasts androids and cyborgs.
_____________________________________________________________
5. It is widely acknowledged fact that machines are stronger than people, but is it
possible for them to become smarter than us too? Some scientists fear that it is, or so
says the theory of technological singularity. In a nut shell, the theory of technological
singularity says that when a computer becomes capable of improving its own
capabilities, even in just the slightest way, it will go into an infinite loop, getting
progressively smarter, which would inevitably lead to machines becoming smarter
than people, or so the theory goes. Such gains in available intelligence might lead to
huge improvements in science and medicine. Diseases could be cured and so
forth. On the other hand, it could lead to the total domination of mankind by robots,
which would be bad. I, for one, welcome our new computer overlords.
This paragraph explains the theory of technological singularity.
_____________________________________________________________
6. Fellow Members of the Springfield Robotics Club: It has come to my attention
that the workshop has been left an absolute mess on at least two separate
occasions. Remember, that this is a shared space, so we must clean up behind
ourselves after every meeting. It is in the spirit of keeping our club meeting space that
we establish this rule: when you take a tool off the rack, put it back. If everyone puts
their tools back immediately after they are done using them, there will be minimal
mess to clean up, and we wont get kicked out of the spot. So, if you like having a
meeting place, put your tools back.
This paragraph explains a new procedure for clean up for members of a robotics club.
_____________________________________________________________
3Valentines Day Main Idea and Text Structure Review
Directions: Read each passage and on a separate sheet of paper
1. Write a sentence explaining the main idea of the text
2. Create a title for the passage related to the main idea.
3. Put information from the passage into a graphic organizer representing the text
structure.
Structures: cause and effect, chronological, compare and contrast, sequence / process writing,
problem and solution, or spatial /descriptive writing.
1. There are many thoughtful ways to express your love for another person without spending money: you
could write a song or cook a meal, but perhaps the best way to express yourself is to create a
card. Creating a card is easy if you have the proper materials. Get yourself some nice, thick resume
paper or cardstock and fold it in half. Draw some imagery of love on the front of the card; if you're not
good at drawing, you can clip out pictures. If you decide to use markers, be careful not to let them bleed
through the paper and ruin the other side. Lastly, write a poem or heartfelt statement on the inside to your
beloved and you're done. Now isn't that a much better way to express your love than a rose from the gas
station?
Sequence / Process Writing: it describes step-by-step how to create a card.
Main Idea: This text explain how to make a Valentine's Day card.
2. Some people think that some holidays celebrating love are nothing but clever ploys by marketers to get
consumers to buy candy, flowers, and stuffed animals, but who cares? In America, we celebrate two love
themed holidays: Valentine's Day and Sweetest Day. Valentine's Day is celebrated in the winter, while
Sweetest Day is celebrated in the fall. Valentine's Day is more focused on bringing lovers together, while
Sweetest Day is for all of the friends, relatives, and associates whose kindness we've enjoyed. Both
occasions, however, are great times to remember what's most important: the people about whom we care.
Compare and Contrast

Main Idea: This text is comparing and contrasting Valentine's Day and Sweetest
Day.
3. Money moves most things in our world. For example the National Confectioners Association, a
collection of over seventy major candy manufacturers, wanted to sell more candy. Apparently, when
people buy candy, they make money. Anyway, they wanted to make more money; so in 1921 they created
a "holiday" called Sweetest Day. They've since spent millions of dollars trying to convince consumers
that this holiday exists and that consumers should celebrate this very real and meaningful occasion by
purchasing candy. Card dealer Hallmark has also heavily promoted this specter of commercial interest,
prompting the notion that Sweetest Day is a "Hallmark Holiday." That reminds me: have you ever heard
of Give Me a Dollar Day?
Cause and Effect

Main Idea: This text describes how the candy industry wanted money (cause) so
they created Sweetest Day (effect).
4. Every Valentine's Day millions of school children slip each other cards: some sloppily assembled for
classmates and friends, others more heartfelt and carefully composed, but most students have no idea how
far back this practice dates. The earliest Valentine's Day card dates back to the 1400s. When postage
rates dropped in the early 1800s, mailing them grew in popularity. Then, in the 1840s, the first Valentine's
cards were mass produced. Today, the Valentine's Day card continues to evolve. In 2010, an estimated 15
million e-valentines were sent. But some things never change: Will you be mine? Click "Y" or "N."
Chronological
Main Idea: This text describes the evolution of the Valentine's Day card.
5. Some people have a hard time remembering to get their loved ones appropriate gifts on Valentine's
Day. This can lead to painfully long talks about "where the relationship stands." Perhaps the best way to
avoid these talks is by taking the moral highroad. Instead of forgetting these holidays, choose not to
celebrate them. Inform your loved one that you don't want to buy into the materialism and commercialism
of these manufactured holidays. Tell that person that you want to have a relationship with them, not the
marketers, and that you want to celebrate your love everyday, not just one day a year. It's a tough pitch,
but if you can make the sale then you'll be in the clear for life.
Problem and Solution

Main Idea: This text describes the problem of forgetting holidays and the
solution of claiming not to celebrate them.
6. Jimmy didn't have any money, but he wanted to show Jane that she meant a lot to him, so he decided
to make her a Valentine's Day card. He got some nice, thick cardstock paper and folded it in half. He cut
it into the shape of a heart and drew a cherub on the front of it. Then, he wrote a thoughtful message on
the inside. When he gave it to Jane, she was so touched that she cried and her tears stained the front of
the card. Thinking the card ruined, Jimmy was so offended that he broke up with her calling her a
"crybaby" as he left. The moral of the story is that young people shouldn't date.
Chronological
Although it appears to be describing a process, this text tells the story of a young
boy making a card for a girl. Since it is a story, the events occur in chronological
order.

Main Idea

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Main Idea

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Main Idea

Main Idea with Robots

Compare and Contrast

Cause and Effect

Problem and Solution

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen