Main Idea Task Cards

Master reading comprehension with Main Idea Task Cards! Identify main ideas & details.

Directions: Please read each main idea card and answer the questions that follow it. Make sure to turn it in once you are finished. 1. What is the main idea of this passage? Monster trucks are monster-sized. Driving a monster truck can be dangerous. Monster trucks are designed to have certain features. Many people are fascinated with monster trucks. 2. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage? Monster Trucks: Safety First Marvelous Monster Trucks Monster Trucks are NOT Pickup Trucks The Features of a Monster Truck 3. Which of the following detail sentences best supports the main idea and could be added to the paragraph? Dennis Anderson drives a monster truck called GraveDigger. Trucks are equipped with three kill switches that will turnthem off instantly. Drivers race their monster trucks at monster truck shows. Monster truck events are quite popular. 4. What is the main idea of this passage? Bob Chandler built the original monster truck andnamed it Bigfoot. Monster trucks have unusual names. Bob Chandler used Bigfoot to crush two cars in a fieldin 1975. Monster trucks have existed for 40 years. 5. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage? Crunching Cars 1981: The Year of the Monster Truck The Original Monster Truck Monster Truck Names 6. Which of the following detail sentences best supports the main idea and could be added to the paragraph? A motorsport company owner, Bob George, referred to Bigfoot as a “monster truck”, and the term has been used ever since. Maddog is another well-known monster truck. A monster truck has a fiberglass body. Monster truck accidents have resulted in more than 20 deaths over the years. 7. What is the main idea of this passage? You should never insult a chef. Potato chips are over-salted and paper thin. Potato chips were invented in a New York City hotel kitchen. Chef George Crum invented the potato chips when he was trying to insult a picky diner. 8. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage? The Surprise Invention of the Potato Chip Chef George Crum A Picky Eater The Future of Potato Chips 9. Which of the following detail sentences best supports the main idea and could be added to the paragraph? You should limit the number of potato chips you eat. George Crum’s new snack became known as “SaratogaChips”. Potato chips are known for being crunchy. George Crum died in 1914. 10. What is the main idea of this passage? Potatoes are delicious. The best way to eat a potato is to mash them andthen pour gravy over the top. There are several ways that potatoes can be prepared. Some methods of cooking potatoes are more nutritiousthan others. 11. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage? The Seven Varieties of Potatoes Ways to Prepare a Potato Potatoes: A Global Food Potatoes: A Delicious Vegetable 12. Which of the following detail sentences best supports the main idea and could be added to the paragraph? Some people prefer to remove the middle of the potato and eat only the potato skin. Potatoes are rich in Vitamin C. Potatoes can be white, red, yellow, or blue French fries should always be served with ketchup. 13. What is the main idea of this passage? Some mummies are 4000 years old. Mummies were buried in tombs. Ancient Egyptians believed in an afterlife that existed after they died on Earth. Egyptian mummies and their tombs have provided us with clues about life in ancient Egypt. 14. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage? Mummies: Clues to the Past Life in Ancient Egypt Egyptian Beliefs The Fall of Ancient Egypt 15. Which of the following detail sentences best supports the main idea and could be added to the paragraph? Poor Egyptians were buried in the sand. Tomb walls can tell a story, as well, because they were often painted with scenes from the dead person’s life. The ancient Egyptians lived along the Nile River, using its rich soil for farming. Egypt is located in the northeast corner of Africa.