1. The big day had come at last. Mr

1.
The big day had come at last. Mrs. Jones' third grade class waited quietly for her to come into the room. They had planned the party a week ago. Today Amy brought the cupcakes, Joey brought the napkins, Carlos brought the soda, and Katie brought the cups. Everyone wanted the party to be a surprise. Mrs. Jones did not know the children knew it was her birthday. When she came back into the room, the children shouted, "Happy birthday, Mrs. Jones!" And then the children got a surprise, too! Mrs. Jones had brought everyone a party hat and ice cream!

The main idea of this story is

a. Mr.Jones likes ice cream.

b. Carlos bought the soda.

c. Everyone got a surprise.

2. Water can take many forms. We see water every day. We see it at the beach. The Gulf of Mexico is liquid water! Water can be hard as a rock. When it is frozen, water is ice. You may have seen ice in a cup of soda. Frozen water, or ice cubes, keep other liquids cool. When ice cubes melt, they become liquid water again. If the pool of melted water is not wiped up, it will disappear after some time. Do you know where it goes? It becomes something else. It becomes water vapor, or a gas, and disappears into the air. There is water vapor in clouds. Water can be liquid, solid, or a gas.

The main idea of this paragraph is

a. Ice cubes are a solid form of water.

b. Water can take many forms.

c. Water is a liquid.

3. Some people believe that the word turtle is another word for tortoise. They believe that the two words are names for the same animal, but that is not true. Turtles and tortoises are related, and they are both reptiles. However,there are differences between these two animals. Most turtles live in salt water and can swim. They have hard shells and flippers for swimming. Tortoises usually live on land. Land tortoises have legs instead of flippers so that they can move on land. Sometimes tortoises live in fresh water, but not in salt water like turtles. The tortoises which live in freshwater have webbed feet and sharp claws so that they can move well in water and on land, as well. Both turtles and tortoises hatch from eggs and both can grow to be very large. Both animals have been around since prehistoric times.

The main idea of this paragraph is

a. Turtle and tortoise are related animals, but have differences.

b. Turtles are animals that have been around since prehistoric time.

c. Turtle and tortoise both have shells to protect their soft bodies.

4. Do you know that rules are everywhere? We have rules at home, rules at school, rules at the store, and rules on the road! We have rules for riding bikes, driving cars, flying airplanes, and even for swimming. Why do we have so many rules? Well, for one thing, rules help us know what to do. We know to stop at a red light and to go when the light turns green. We know to use our indoor voices in the lunchroom and save our outdoor voices for recess. At the store we know the rule is to take our things to the checkout lane before we leave the store! Rules help us do the right thing.
We know rules for fire safety. We know to dial 911 to report a fire or to stop, drop, and roll if our clothes are on fire. We all know the rule that we should never swim alone. Sometimes rules will change, but they are almost always made to keep us safe and to help us get along with others. Rules are important.

The main idea of this paragraph is

a. There are too many rules.

b. Rules are important.

c. Stop,drop and roll is an important rule.

5. Lighthouses are important to sea travelers. They have been used for thousands of years to warn ships that they are near land or dangerous rocks. Lighthouses are towers built near the shore or among the rocks. They have a bright beacon of light shining from the top. Long ago metal baskets with burning coal or wood were hung from poles at the top of the lighthouse to produce the warning light. Today a very large lens shaped like a barrel sends a beam of light far out to sea. Sailors learn where lighthouses are located. Each lighthouse has a special signal so that sailors can tell them apart. The lighthouses help the sailors stay safely out to sea, and they also help the sailors stay on course.

The main idea of this paragraph is

a. Sailors watch for light houses.

b. Fire in a metal basket makes a good light.

c. Light houses help sailors.

6. Plants add a lot to our world. Plants outdoors can make a beautiful garden. They make a place for large and small animals to make a home. Plants indoors are pretty, too. In the house live plants give off oxygen which people need to breath. Maybe the most important thing about plants is that you can eat them! Animals eat them, too! Think of all the foods you eat in one day that comes from a plant. The wheat that is in your cereal or bread is a plant! The lettuce, tomato, and onion on your hamburger are plants! The apples, bananas, and grapes in the fruitbowl come from plants. Plants are wonderful! Do you have a favorite plant food?

The main idea of this paragraph is

a.Flowers make a pretty garden.

b.People and animals eat plants.

c. Birds make their home in trees.

7. In 1732 a person was born who would be important to the United States of America. His name is George Washington. He grew up in this country before it was a free country. He played in the wilderness as a boy, and when he grew up he was a leader in the Army that made America free. People thought he was brave, honest, and smart. They asked him to be the first President of the United States. Washington was not sure if he should take the job of president at first. He knew it was a hard job. However, Washington loved the new United States of America, and so he did become the first President of the United States on April 30, 1789. He was president for eight years, from 1789 until 1797. He served our country well.

The main idea of this paragraph is

a. Being president of the United States is a hard job.

b. George Washington was the first president of the United States.

c. Washington played in the wilderness when he was a boy.

8.

"Hurry, Dad. We're ready to go!" exclaimed Heather. Heather and Danny finished their chores early and were waiting by the door. It seemed to take their father a long time to finish his breakfast! Danny began to wonder how long it would take him. "Please hurry up, dad," he said, Heather and I have been waiting forever!"

At last their father said, "OK, kids, let's go!" The three of them walked out the door. "Bye, Mom!" called Heather.

At the store Heather and Danny walked up and down the aisles. Their dad followed behind them. Danny pointed and whispered to Heather. Heather nodded her head, smiling. "Well, kids, what do you think?" asked their father.

"This one!" both children shouted at once. Soon, their new cat, Tiger, was on his way home!

The main idea of this story is

a. Danny and Heather went to the pet store.

b. Danny and Heather got a new pet cat.

c. Danny and Heather went to the mall with their Dad.

The main idea of this story is

a. Mr.Jones likes ice cream.

b. Carlos bought the soda.

c. Everyone got a surprise.

2. Water can take many forms. We see water every day. We see it at the beach. The Gulf of Mexico is liquid water! Water can be hard as a rock. When it is frozen, water is ice. You may have seen ice in a cup of soda. Frozen water, or ice cubes, keep other liquids cool. When ice cubes melt, they become liquid water again. If the pool of melted water is not wiped up, it will disappear after some time. Do you know where it goes? It becomes something else. It becomes water vapor, or a gas, and disappears into the air. There is water vapor in clouds. Water can be liquid, solid, or a gas.