RI.4.2
Description:
Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
Maps to Reading Plus skills:
1B, 2A, 2B, 2C
Exemplars
1B: Analyzing Implicit Details
1B: Analyzing Implicit Details
Description:
Drawing Conclusions, Making Inferences from information in text
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
D-16
D-16
Grade level: 4
Word count: 1550 words
Author: R. Bender
Synopsis: What might surprise you about someone you already know?
Excerpt:
At the time, Sam's parents were young. They knew they needed to escape the violence and hardship in their village. They heard there were jobs in America, so they saved their money until they could afford to travel there on a small passenger ship.
Question:
Sam's parents decided to leave their village. What is the main reason they left?
- to escape from violence
- to explore America
- to find new jobs
- to get a good education
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Did the title of this selection provide you with clues about the selection's main idea? Why or why not?
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
2A: Determining Main Idea
2A: Determining Main Idea
Description:
Determining Main Idea and Themes
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
D-6
D-6
Grade level: 4
Word count: 1328 words
Author: Kate Carter
Synopsis: Tough and tougher: that describes the plants and animals that make their home in the desert.
Excerpt:
No excerpt is available for this question.
Question:
What is the main idea of this selection?
- Plants and animals have adapted to life in the dry desert.
- People cannot survive in the desert but animals can do so.
- Cold deserts have more plant life and animals than hot deserts.
- Deserts are disappearing from all parts of the Earth.
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Write an email to a friend and describe a selection you read.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
2B: Analyzing Relative Importance
2B: Analyzing Relative Importance
Description:
Determining Relative Importance
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
HiD-6
HiD-6
Grade level: 4
Word count: 1477 words
Author: Dustin Rowland
Synopsis: Why would an ancient culture carve huge drawings into the face of the land? And what do they mean?
Excerpt:
The Nazca lines are not just simple straight lines. They include many different shapes and patterns. There are hundreds of triangles, spirals, and other figures that cross the valley floor. Even more interesting are the dozens of animal and plant drawings that lay beside them. These land pictures include a monkey, a whale, a spider, a lizard, several birds, and many other living things that they considered to be important at the time. In total, about 900 different designs have been discovered.
Some of the designs are incredible simply for their size. Some of them are massive! They cover an area of more than 200 square miles. One of the largest drawings stretches more than 660 feet across the desert sand. That is the length of two football fields. And some of the straight lines are even longer. One goes on for nine miles!
Some of the designs are incredible simply for their size. Some of them are massive! They cover an area of more than 200 square miles. One of the largest drawings stretches more than 660 feet across the desert sand. That is the length of two football fields. And some of the straight lines are even longer. One goes on for nine miles!
Question:
Reread these two excerpts. The Nazca lines are amazing examples of human skill and effort for which two main reasons?
- their interesting shapes and patterns
- their huge sizes
- their bright colors
- their thoughtful words and sayings
- their unusual sounds
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Describe two important details that support the main idea of a selection and two other details that are not important to the main idea.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions
2C: Summarizing
2C: Summarizing
Description:
Summarizing
SeeReader
✓ standard met
Selection:
D-7
D-7
Grade level: 4
Word count: 1565 words
Author: Madeline Arroyo
Synopsis: Rafael Cordero made the world a better place, one head and heart at a time.
Excerpt:
It seems that most movies and television shows tell us that real heroes are people who often make a lot of noise, occasionally kick up a lot of dust, and generally can't help but get noticed. Makes it kind of hard for people like you and me to believe that someday we could be heroes too, doesn't it?
The truth is that real heroes are everyday people (like you and me) who see a need and have the courage to do something about it, even if no one applauds and cheers. Rafael Cordero y Molina, the son of freed African slaves, was such a hero.
The truth is that real heroes are everyday people (like you and me) who see a need and have the courage to do something about it, even if no one applauds and cheers. Rafael Cordero y Molina, the son of freed African slaves, was such a hero.
Question:
Which of the following statements summarizes the author's opinion about heroes?
- A true hero is an everyday person who has the courage to make a change in the world.
- The only kinds of heroes that matter in the world are movie heroes.
- A movie hero is more likely to be brave than an everyday hero.
- Most everyday heroes are not as courageous as movies heroes.
Writing
✓ standard met
Writing prompt:
Use your own words to describe the ending of a selection.
Evaluator
Organization:
Certica Solutions