Main Ideas

Toy cars and trucks were lying all over the floor. Ben had dumped his entire toy box in the middle of his room looking for his favorite blue car. His Uncle Lonnie had given it to him for his birthday. Uncle Lonnie was coming for a visit, and Ben wanted them to play together with it. Ben looked for about an hour and could not find the car. When his mother called him, he stepped on something hard. It was his blue car.
What is the main idea or main event of the passage?

• Ben had many toys and trucks
• Uncle Lonnie gave Ben a blue car
• Ben dumped his entire toy box in the middle of the floor
• Ben found the blue car his Uncle Lonnie gave him by stepping on it

Students sat in the cafeteria talking loudly. It was lunch time at Green Elementary, and the lunch room was full. The noise and the smell of grilled cheese filled the air. In the corner sat Rudy and Jacob. They were making their daily lunch trades.
"I'll give you my cheese crackers for your pretzels," said Jacob.
"Okay, I'll give you my vanilla pudding for your sugar cookies," said Rudy.
"Deal!" said Jacob.
What is the main idea or main event of the passage?

• Jacob and Rudy trade food at lunch
• Rudy wanted Jacob's sugar cookies
• Jacob had cheese crackers and wanted pretzels
• Students were talking loudly during lunch at Green Elementary

The trees were in full bloom. White flowers covered the small dogwood trees around the house. Spring flowers were blooming, and the garden in front of the house looked wonderful. Children played in the green grass. Tag was the name of the game today.
"It feels so good to run around outside without a jacket," said Tom.
"Spring time is the best time," said Jack.
What is the main idea or main event of the passage?

• flowers were blooming
• Jack thinks spring is the best season
• Tom likes to play without his jacket
• The boys were happy to be playing outside in the spring time

Chipmunks are about the size of a human hand and are also known as striped squirrels, ground squirrels or "chip squirrels" because of the sound they make. Chipmunks are known for liking peanuts and for carrying them in bulging cheeks. Actually, they eat a variety of foods. They like grain, nuts, bird's eggs, fungi, worms, and insects. They take all of their food and put it in their burrows for the winter.
What is the main idea or main event of the passage?

• Chipmunks hide peanuts in their cheeks
• Chipmunks like grain, nuts, bird eggs, fungi, worms, and insects
• Chipmunks are small animals that store a variety of food for the winter
• Chipmunks are known as striped squirrels, ground squirrels or chip squirrels

Melanie hated her green room, and she had asked her mother a hundred times if she could paint it purple. Melanie and her mother worked all afternoon rolling the paint on the wall. Since Melanie was only in the third grade, she was feeling very special because her mother was letting her help. When they were finished, they sat on the floor and had a snack.
"Are you happy with the purple?" asked Mother.
"Yes. And I even like it more because I was able to help paint it," said Melanie.
What is the main idea or main event of the passage?

• Melanie hated green
• Melanie and her mother painted all afternoon
• Melanie liked the purple room she helped paint
• They had a snack on the floor when they were finished

Snow was falling again. Every puzzle was put together, every book was read, and the refrigerator was covered in artwork. Buddy and William were bored. They couldn't go out and play in the snow because they were both sick. Even though school might be canceled tomorrow, they were ready to go back to school.
What is the main idea or main event of the passage?

• they were sick
• it was snowing again
• they were bored and ready to go back to school
• the refrigerator was covered in artwork, and the puzzles were put together

Badgers live underground in burrows called setts. Some live alone and move from home to home, while others live in groups of up to 15. The name of a group of badgers is called a clan. Badgers will protect themselves and their young. They can fight off larger animals such as wolves and bears. Badgers get most of their food by digging and can tunnel after rodents at very fast speeds.
What is the main idea or main event of the passage?
 

• burrows are called setts
• the name of a group of badgers is called a clan
• badgers live underground and get most of their food from digging
• badgers can protect themselves from larger animals such as bears and wolves

Scissors, glue, and construction paper covered the desks of every student in the classroom. Mrs. Brown was getting ready to hand out heart-shaped candies. Students were talking softly as they cut out hearts and coloured with markers and crayons. In just 10 minutes they would start their Valentine's Day party.
What is the main idea or main event of the passage?

• Mrs. Brown had heart shaped candy
• Mrs. Brown's class was getting ready for a Valentine's Day party
• Scissors, glue, and construction paper were on the desks in the classroom
• All of the students were making Valentine's Day cards for their friends

The noise of students talking filled the school theater. Third graders sat down and waited for the movie to begin. The third-grade class had collected the most cans for the food drive for the homeless shelter. They were being rewarded with a movie, popcorn and soda.
"It feels good to do something nice for somebody else," said Rita.
"Yeah, it feels even better when you get out of class to watch a movie," said Brandon.
"You did bring in the most cans," said Rita.
"Well, yeah," said Brandon. "I like to do nice things too."
What is the main idea or main event of the passage?A) 
B) 
C)
D) 

• Rita liked doing nice things for people
• The cans were going to the homeless shelter
•  the students were talking loudly in the school theater
• the third-grade class watched a movie for bringing in the most can

Many countries and cultures use the rabbit in their stories and folklore. The rabbit is often shown as smart or clever and able beat its enemies. In Chinese stories, rabbits are part of the Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year, and they are one of the animals on the Chinese calendar. In Japanese stories, rabbits live on the moon and make a popular snack of mashed sticky rice called "mochi." In America, carrying a rabbit's foot is supposed to bring good luck.
What is the main idea or main event of the passage?

• the Chinese use the rabbit in their calendar
• rabbits are part of many countries' culture and stories
• a Japanese rabbit makes sticky rice snacks on the moon
• a rabbit's foot is supposed to bring good luck in America