Main Idea and Summarizing — Answer Key
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
A passage about the water cycle has the main idea that clouds are white and fluffy.
Corrected: A passage about the water cycle has the main idea that water moves through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation in a continuous cycle.
"Clouds are white and fluffy" describes how clouds look, not how the water cycle works. The main idea needs to explain the full process: evaporation, condensation, and precipitation repeating in a cycle.
2. Fix the sentence:
When you summarize a fiction story, you should copy the dialogue word for word.
Corrected: When you summarize a fiction story, you should describe the main events in your own words without copying dialogue.
Copying dialogue word for word makes the summary too long and too close to the original. A summary should describe the main events in your own words to show you understood the story.
3. Fix the sentence:
The main idea of a paragraph is always the very first sentence.
Corrected: The main idea of a paragraph is often in the first sentence, but it can appear anywhere or be implied.
Saying "always" is too strong because authors sometimes place the main idea in the middle, at the end, or leave it implied. The corrected sentence recognizes that the main idea can appear anywhere.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. A minor detail is one that is interesting but not needed to understand the main idea.
The answer is "minor." A minor detail might be fun to read, but removing it would not change the main point of the passage.
2. The main idea tells the biggest point the author wants readers to understand.
The answer is "biggest." The main idea is the biggest, most important point because all the other details in the passage support it.
3. When you summarize, you should keep events in the same order as the original text.
The answer is "order." Keeping events in the same order as the original text helps the summary make sense and avoids confusing the reader.
4. Asking "What is this passage mostly about?" helps you find the main idea.
The answer is "main." Asking "What is this passage mostly about?" forces you to look past small details and focus on the one big idea the author wants you to take away.
Part C: Short Answer
Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.
1. What is the difference between a topic and a main idea?
Sample answer: A topic is the subject of a passage in one or two words, while the main idea is the specific point the author makes about that topic.
A topic is just the subject in a word or two (like "dolphins"), while the main idea is the specific point the author makes about that topic (like "dolphins are intelligent ocean mammals").
2. Why should a summary be shorter than the original passage?
Sample answer: A summary should be shorter because its purpose is to give only the most important information so readers can quickly understand the key points.
A summary's job is to give only the most important information, so it should be much shorter than the original. If it were the same length, there would be no reason to read the summary instead of the passage itself.