Determine Main Idea and Details

What is the main idea of this passage?

• 1. The author is an expert on circadian rhythms

• People with Non-24 have daytime sleepiness and insomnia

• Total darkness disrupts the ability to conform to a 24-hour schedule

• New time cues for people with Non-24 could change lives.

The second paragraph develops the main idea of the first by...

• 1. Describing how people with Non-24 behave in a 24-hour schedule

• Providing details of disruptions to circadian rhythms

• Suggesting how research may help people with Non-24

• Explaining why light is critical in treating Non-24

The author mentions that people with Non-24 find it difficult to stay awake at work. This detail supports the main idea that people with Non-24 …

• Fall asleep in mid-sentence.

• comprise up to 95,000 people

• find it difficult to be prompt

• feel as though they have constant jet lag

What is the main idea of paragraph 2?

• new drugs are being developed to help treat people with Non-24

• Earlier studies showed that synthetic melatonin could reset the circadian clock.

• Melatonin has not undergone required tests, and proper strengths have not been determined.

• The author’s lab is involved in crucial studies into treating Non-24

The author says, “There is an effort underway, however, to test a drug for Non-24 that works like melatonin.” This statement is …

• An implied main idea of paragraph 2

• An explicit main idea of paragraph 2

• A supporting detail in paragraph 2

• A topic sentence for paragraph 2

How does the statement that “research may also contribute to the emerging field of chronomedicine” support the main idea of paragraph 3?

• Chronomedicine provides the promise of a cure for people with Non-24

• Research may provide more understanding of the circadian clock, including the best time to take medicine

• Chronomedicine can help people with Non-24 live on a normal day-night cycle

• Chronomedicine may help address circadian rhythm disruptions, including shift-work and travel across time zones

Which detail best supports the idea that disrupting the body’s circadian rhythm can have a negative effect on a person’s health?

• 1. We live in a world in which work, family, and social pressures chip away at our sleep.

• 1. A misaligned body clock can increase the risk of developing diabetes, depression, obesity, and cancer

• 1. Chronic caffeine use interferes with the body’s ability to regulate the circadian rhythm.

• 1. Long work hours and shift-work can disrupt sleep patterns

In paragraph 1, the author writes, “wind turbine use has increased at more than 25 percent a year.” Which main idea does this detail support?

• 1. “Ancient mariners used sails to capture the wind and explore the world.”

• 1. “Farmers once used windmills to grind their grains and pump water.”

• 1. “Today, more and more people are using wind turbines to wring electricity from the breeze.”

• “Still, it only provides a small fraction of the world’s energy.”

The main idea of paragraph 4 is implied. Which sentence best states the implied main idea?

• Many governments offer tax incentives to spur wind energy

• Wind energy produces no water pollution and no air pollution

• 1. Operational costs of wind energy are low

• Wind energy is environmentally friendly and relatively inexpensive

Which implied main idea do the details in paragraph 5 support?

• People complain about the noise from turbines

• Blades should move faster to avoid killing birds and bats

• Wind energy has some negative aspects

• Wind power is becoming more popular