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Main Idea and Details Test

Last updated over 6 years ago
15 questions
The rain began early in the morning. It fell as hard drops, one after another. The sky was full of dark purple clouds. Thunder began as a soft rumble and became louder and louder. Lightning crashed every few minutes, making the sky a brilliant white. The wind raged and debris was flying through fields and towns.
1

What is the main idea of this passage?

Alcatraz
     Alcatraz is an island in the San Francisco Bay. The island was initially used by the United States military, but it transitioned into a place to hold prisoners. During the Civil War, people who supported the Confederacy were held at the island. In the early 1900s, prisoners built a new jail on the island, which came to be known as "The Rock." Alcatraz was considered a minimum-security prison at the time, and prisoners typically spent their time working and learning.      In 1934, however, the Federal Bureau of Prisons took control of Alcatraz and turned it into America's first maximum-security prison. Criminals considered especially dangerous were sent to Alcatraz because of its isolated location. The prison operated this way for 29 years and housed more than 1,500 criminals. There were strict rules, and privileges such as family visits had to be earned.      Thirty-six prisoners tried to escape from Alcatraz, but none of them ever made it to San Francisco. Most of them were caught or killed before they left the island. Those who managed to leave the shore either died from exposure or drowned in the cold water surrounding the island.The prison closed in 1963 because it was considered too expensive to operate. In 1973, the prison and island were opened to the public as a national park.
1

Which of the following sentences from the passage support the idea that the location of Alcatraz made escape almost impossible.

1

The art of training and cutting plants and trees into ornamental shapes is called topiary work. This art dates back to the days of the Romans. They enjoyed training plants to grow in geometric shapes and, later on, created animal designs and designs that resembled furniture. The Romans were also a dominant empire during their time. Because of topiary work, the Romans had many beautiful gardens.

What is the main idea?

1

Naming Pluto
When "Planet X" was discovered in 1930, astronomers began debating what to call it. An eleven-year-old girl named Venetia Burney suggested the name "Pluto" to her grandfather, who passed the idea along to a friend who was a professor of astronomy. The professor, in turn, immediately forwarded the suggestion to scientists at the Lowell Observatory, where the planet had been discovered. The astronomers appreciated the fact that Pluto was the ancient Romans' name for the god of the underworld, making it a fitting moniker for such a cold and distant celestial body. In addition, its first two letters matched the initials of Percival Lowell, the astronomer who first proposed the existence of Planet X. The matter was eventually put to a vote, with Pluto the hands-down winner.

What is the main idea?

1

Which detail from the text best supports the main idea you chose in #4?

1

Select the best detail to support the main idea that the United States makes more cheese than France does.

Americans have always been interested in their Presidents' wives. Many First Ladies have been remembered because of the ways they have influenced their husbands. Other First Ladies have made the history books on their own.

At least two First Ladies, Bess Truman and Lady Bird Johnson, made it their business to send signals during their husbands' speeches. When Lady Bird Johnson thought her husband was talking too long, she wrote a note and sent it up to the platform. It read, "It's time to stop!" And he did. Once Bess Truman didn't like what her husband was saying on television, so she phoned him and said, "If you can't talk more politely than that in public, you come right home."

It was First Lady Helen Taft's idea to plant the famous cherry trees in Washington, D. C. Each spring these blossoming trees attract thousands of visitors to the nation's capital. Mrs. Taft also influenced the male members of her family and the White House staff in a strange way: she convinced them to shave off their beards!

Dolly Madison saw to it that a magnificent painting of George Washington was not destroyed during the War of 1812. As the British marched toward Washington, D. C., she remained behind to rescue the painting, even after the guards had left. The painting is the only object from the original White House that was not burned.
1

The three violin players formed a perfect ______________ and won first place in the talent show.

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When traveling to a new country it is helpful if you are _______________ and can speak the language.

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Select TRUE if the sentence uses the vocabulary word correctly.

There are millions of asterisks in our universe.

1

My friend studies the stars as his job. He is an astronomer.

1

Have you ever been faced with a tough _________?

1

Definition: a minor planet; one of thousands of small bodies that circle the sun

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The population in the United States is ____________. Everyone looks so different.

1

She couldn't wait until the third book in the _________ came out. The second book left off on a cliffhanger.

1

Definition: extremely large; of or relating to astronomy