Finding Main Idea Practice

Use the following passages to identify the main idea or best summary.

Question 1 of 4

Umpires are like police officers in the game of baseball because they enforce the rules. They decide if a player is out or safe, if a ball is fair or four, or if a pitch is a strike or a ball. Bill Klein, a Hall of Fame umpire, coined their motto as to “call ‘em as I see ‘em.”

What is the main idea of the passage?

  1. Umpires can become Hall of Famers.
  2. Umpires decide if a player is safe or out.
  3. Umpires enforce the rules of baseball.

Question 2 of 4

Without the atmosphere, space elements would destroy the Earth. The sun would bake the side of Earth facing it and freeze the other side. Meteors and harmful energy from the sun would damage Earth, and oxygen would not exist. What is the main idea of the passage?

What is the main idea of the passage?

  1. Meteors can damage the Earth.
  2. Atmosphere protects the Earth.
  3. The sun can bake the side of Earth facing it.

Question 3 of 4

Bees, wasps, and ants are stinging insects. If you think you have been stung by one of these insects, tell an adult immediately because some people are allergic to stings. Have an adult remove the stinger, wash the area with soap and water, and apply ice. What is the main idea of the passage?

Read the following passage to help you answer the question below.

  1. what to do about an insect sting
  2. insects that can sting
  3. some people are allergic to stings

Question 4 of 4

Is It a Dolphin or a Porpoise?

People often confuse these two mammals because of their many similarities. Both dolphins and porpoises belong to the cetacean order and spend their entire lives in the water. Many live in family groups called pods. However, this is where their similarities end.

Dolphins belong to the family Delphinidae. They range in size from eight to twelve feet and may weigh between four hundred and one thousand pounds. Their coloration helps protect them from their predators. The head of a dolphin has a snout-like projection known as a rostrum. Their eyes are found on the sides of their heads. Their ears, which appear as small holes, are located behind their eyes. Two pectoral flippers appear on opposite sides of the body. At the center of their back is their dorsal fin. Finally, a tail fluke is located at the end of their body.

Porpoises, which are members of the family Phocoenidae, are smaller than dolphins with the largest being only eight feet long. They have small rounded heads without a rostrum. Their blunt jaws hold spade-shaped teeth while dolphins possess conical-shaped teeth. Even their fins are different. The dorsal fin of a porpoise is triangular and that of a dolphin is more curved. Finally, the tail fluke of a porpoise is notched.

Appearance is not the only difference between the two species. Dolphins are much more playful than porpoises. They tend to travel in larger groups while porpoises are more solitary. Porpoises appear to be shy and do not approach people and boats like dolphins will. As a result, dolphins, not porpoises, often appear in marine shows.

Which of the following statements best summarizes the passage?

  1. Dolphins and a porpoises can be correctly identified by noticing appearance and behavior.
  1. Dolphins and porpoises are easily mistaken for one another.
  1. Dolphins and porpoises interact with humans quite differently.
  1. Dolphins and porpoises spend their entire lives in the water.