Post Test for Main Idea and Summary

Read the passage and choose the correct answer to the questions.

1. Walruses can turn their hind limbs forward and use all four limbs in moving them ashore. Male walruses are larger than the female walruses. Male walruses average about 10 feet in length and weigh more than 2000 pounds. Both the male and female have a massive body with thick, wrinkled, nearly hairless skin. They have a relatively small head with no external ears. Their signature mark is their enormously elongated upper canine teeth that form heavy tusks. In fact, their tusks can be up to 3 feet long.

The passage is mostly about
a. How long their tusks are.
b. What the female and male walruses look like.
c. How walruses move.
d. Why they are not dangerous animals.

 

2. One of the most respected artists of all times is Michelangelo. He was a very hard worker, and sometimes would not even stop to eat a meal. He painted and painted, rarely taking time to eat his daily fare that consisted of bread and wine. Even when he was older, he didn't stop painting to eat a meal. When he became rich and famous, his meals remained small and meager.

The main idea of the selection is
a. What Michelangelo ate for lunch.
b. How Michelangelo became rich and famous.
c. Why it is important to work hard.
d. Michelangelo worked very hard and didn't take time to eat.

3. Rudolph Valentino was an Italian immigrant who overcame many odds to become a romantic movie idol to millions of women. Before he was an American motion picture actor, he arrived from Italy. In New York he worked as a gardener, dishwasher, and dancer. In 1918 he began to appear in minor roles in Hollywood films. Before his death, he starred in three big movies.

The best summary of the passage is
a. Valentino had rough beginnings, but he was able to overcome those challenges to become an influential movie star.
b. In 1918 he appeared in minor roles.
c. Valentino worked hard in New York before he became a movie star.
d. Women idolized Valentino.

4. The smell of chocolate chip cookies filled the house. There was only one place that smelled like this; it was Grandma Coleman's house. The smell instantly reminded me of all the great memories I had growing up, but when I looked around the kitchen, it was my paintings on the walls and my pots hanging on the rack. No, this was not Grandma Coleman's house, but my house. Soon my little granddaughter would toddle through the front door. I only hope she will have fond memories of me, her Grandma Wood.

The passage is mostly about
a. How to bake chocolate chip cookies.
b. How special grandmas are.
c. How Grandma Wood hopes her granddaughter will have fond memories of her.
d. The experiences Grandma Wood had at her Grandma's house.

 

5. Vampire bats derive their sole nourishment from sucking the blood from mammals. Vampire bats rarely exceed 3 inches in length, and their sharp front teeth are adapted to making razor-like slashes. With these sharp fangs, they can attack man and animals, and they may transmit diseases through their bite.

The main important idea of the passage is
a. How dangerous vampire bats can be.
b. How vampire bats suck blood.
c. The physical description of vampire bats.
d. What vampire bats look like and how they get their nourishment.

 

6. Buckminister Fuller did not have a formal education, but that didn't prevent him from becoming an inventor, mathematician, architectural engineer, author, and educator. Since he lacked a formal education, the professional world ignored his ideas. It wasn't until his designs of the geodesic, a building with a round roof, in the 1950s did he receive recognition for his design method.

The best summary of the selection is
a. Even though Fuller didn't have a formal education, he achieved recognition for his work.
b. The professional world ignored his ideas because he didn't receive a formal education.
c. He is best known for his architectural designs.
d. After a lot of hard work, Buckmininister achieved the recognition he deserved.

 

7. Paul's friends wanted him to go water skiing. He knew it would be a lot of fun to be with his friends on the boat, but he didn't know how to water-ski. He didn't want to learn how to ski in front of his friends. He felt that he would have his water skis over his head as he tried to learn. He would probably even hit himself so hard with the skis that he would have to go to the emergency room. Also, if the skis didn't kill him, a fish could bite his feet. Paul decided he wasn't up to the challenge, so he decided he would stay home and work on his math homework.

The main idea of the selection is
a. Paul's friends want to take him skiing.
b. Paul makes a decision about learning to ski.
c. The steps needed to learn how to ski.
d. How to be a good skier.

 

8. Have you ever been asked, "What do you plan to do when you graduate?" Although it might be a long time before you graduate high school, it's important to have goals. A goal is something you're striving to accomplish. Some goals are long term. These are goals that will take several years to reach. An example of a long-term goal is to graduate high school. Other types of goals are short term. Short-term goals are attainable in a short amount of time. For example, you might have the goal to make all A's and B's in school for the year. Goals are important because it keeps you focused on what is important to you.

The passage is mostly about
a. Everyone needs to have goals.
b. People should have long-term goals because it will keep them focused in life.
c. You need to have short-term goals.
d. How important it is to set long or short term goals.

 

9. Did you know that swimming is the best type of overall exercise? You can swim to better health in the cool water without damaging or straining your muscles. Some people have difficulty with different types of exercise like jogging or aerobics because of the strain it puts on their muscles. Besides being great exercise, swimming can be very relaxing. The next time you jump into the pool, think of all the exercise you are getting.

The most important idea of the selection is
a. Swimming is the hottest new trend in exercise.
b. Jogging can be stressful to your health.
c. Swimming is considered great exercise because it doesn't strain muscles.
d. Swimming can be fun and relaxing.

 

10. The English teacher slowly handed out the essays. Kerri knew that she probably didn't do well. She had been very busy with soccer and piano lessons, but she had known about the paper for over a month. She dreaded seeing her score, so she buried her face in her hands, fearing the worse. When the teacher got to her desk, she said, "Kerri, I need to see you after class about your paper."

The best summary of the passage is
a. Kerri feels that she didn't do well on her essay, and her teacher asks her to stay after class.
b. Kerri's English teacher passed out English papers.
c. Kerri's English teacher told her to stay after class.
d. Kerri plays soccer and the piano.