Reading Skills

Identify the topic sentence.

• Many fake news stories use images that are Photoshopped or taken from an unrelated site.

• Sometimes, if you just look closely at an image, you can see if it has been changed.

• Sometimes, if you just look closely at an image, you can see if it has been changed.

• It will show you if the same image has been used in other contexts.

Identify the topic sentence.

• If you think of the jobs robots could never do you would probably put doctors and teachers at the top of the list.

• It’s easy to imagine robot cleaners and factory workers, but some jobs need human connection and creativity.

• In some cases, they already perform better than doctors at diagnosing illness.

• Also, some patients might feel more comfortable sharing personal information with a machine than a person.

• Could there be a place for robots in education after all?

Identify the topic sentence.

• Rich counties have problems too.

• The concept (idea) of healthy eating is primarily (firstly) a problem in rich countries.

• The lifestyle in more affluent (rich) counties includes a modicum of (only a little) outdoor physical activities.

• Further, there is high but not always high-quality food consumption, and a trend towards industrially-produced (factory-made) foods instead of locally-sourced, locally-prepared meals.

What is the main topic of this passage?

One of my favorite vacation places is Mexico. I really like the weather there because it never gets cold. The people are very nice too. The food is really good. Mexico City is a very interesting place to visit. It has some great museums and lots of fascinating old buildings. If you are planning to visit Mexico, you should definitely see the Mayan temples near Merida.

• Mexico City

• Mexico

• Places in Mexico

What is the best heading for this paragraph?

One of my favorite vacation places is Mexico. I really like the weather there because it never gets cold. The people are very nice too. The food is really good. Mexico City is a very interesting place to visit. It has some great museums and lots of fascinating old buildings. If you are planning to visit Mexico, you should definitely see the Mayan temples near Merida.

• A favorite vacation place

• Mexico City

• Visit interesting Mexico

What is the main topic of this passage?

Banks are places where people can keep their money. Most people use banks to save money in their savings accounts and to pay money from their checking accounts. Today, when a person earns money from their job, their paycheck is often electronically deposited (put) into their savings or checking account. Then, he or she can pay their bills by writing checks from their checking accounts or pay online where their bills are electronically connected to their bank accounts.

• Saving money

• Spending Money

• Banks

What is the best heading for this passage?

Banks are places where people can keep their money. Most people use banks to save money in their savings accounts and to pay money from their checking accounts. Today, when a person earns money from their job, their paycheck is often electronically deposited (put) into their savings or checking account. Then, he or she can pay their bills by writing checks from their checking accounts or pay online where their bills are electronically connected to their bank accounts.

• Banks are now electronic

• Check your account today!

• What are banks for?

Select the author's sentence containing the main idea.

The essence of many perfumes comes from the oils in the petals of fresh flowers, such as the rose, carnation, and orange blossom. However, fragrances are not limited to the petal, but can come from the leaves of lavender, peppermint, and geranium. Also the oils of cinnamon and balsam are derived from bark, while the oils of cedar come from its wood. The fragrance of ginger and sassafras comes from roots, and orange, lemon and nutmeg come from fruits and seeds. There are many sources from which to derive fragrances for perfumes.

• First sentence

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Select the author's sentence containing the main idea.

When you were younger, your mother cautioned you not to act like an animal. What mother did not realize is that much of the world holds animals in such high regard that they use animals' names for their organizations and products. For instance, many professional sports teams, such as the Tigers and the Rams, have chosen animal names to suggest power. Also, cars are given names to make consumers associate them with speed and grace. Examples are the Jaguar, the Cougar, and the Bobcat. Even our political parties have adopted animals to represent them.

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Select the author's sentence containing the main idea.

A study at one prison showed that owning a pet can change a hardened prison inmate into a more caring person. Another study discovered that senior citizens, both those living alone and those in nursing homes, became more interested in life when they were given pets to care for. Even emotionally disturbed children have been observed to smile and react with interest if there is a cuddly kitten or puppy to hold. Animals, then, can be a means of therapy for many kinds of individuals.

• First sentence

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• Last sentence