OAR OAR Reading Comprehension: Main Idea 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Read the passage: 'The Navy's submarine fleet operates silently beneath the ocean surface, gathering intelligence and projecting power without detection. Submariners undergo rigorous training to manage complex systems in confined spaces under extreme pressure. Their missions often last months, requiring psychological resilience alongside technical skill.' What is the main idea?
- Submarines are the most powerful naval vessels.
- Submarine service demands both technical expertise and mental fortitude. (Correct answer)
- Submariners spend months away from their families.
- The Navy uses submarines primarily for intelligence gathering.
Correct answer: Submarine service demands both technical expertise and mental fortitude.
The passage emphasizes that submariners need both technical skills and psychological resilience, making option B the central idea.
Question 2: A passage states: 'Renewable energy sources like solar and wind have grown dramatically in the past decade. However, their intermittent nature poses challenges for grid stability. Energy storage technology must advance to make renewables a reliable backbone of the power grid.' The main idea is best expressed as:
- Solar and wind energy are the cheapest power sources available.
- Renewable energy growth is impressive but requires storage solutions to be reliable. (Correct answer)
- The power grid is currently unstable due to renewable energy.
- Energy storage technology has already solved the intermittency problem.
Correct answer: Renewable energy growth is impressive but requires storage solutions to be reliable.
The passage acknowledges renewable growth but focuses on the storage challenge needed for reliability.
Question 3: Which question is MOST useful for identifying the main idea of a passage?
- What specific details are included in the second paragraph?
- What is the author primarily trying to communicate to the reader? (Correct answer)
- What vocabulary words does the author use?
- How long is the passage?
Correct answer: What is the author primarily trying to communicate to the reader?
The main idea reflects what the author most wants the reader to understand, making that question the best guide.
Question 4: Read: 'Exercise improves cardiovascular health, strengthens muscles, and enhances mood through endorphin release. Even moderate activity like a 30-minute daily walk produces significant health benefits. Medical professionals universally recommend regular physical activity for disease prevention.' The main idea is:
- Walking for 30 minutes daily is the best form of exercise.
- Regular exercise provides wide-ranging physical and mental health benefits. (Correct answer)
- Endorphins are the key reason exercise improves mood.
- Doctors only recommend exercise for people with heart disease.
Correct answer: Regular exercise provides wide-ranging physical and mental health benefits.
The passage covers multiple benefits across body and mind, so the main idea is the broad value of regular exercise.
Question 5: A passage's main idea differs from its topic in that the main idea:
- Is always found in the first sentence of the passage.
- Is a single word or short phrase naming the subject.
- Makes a specific claim or assertion about the topic. (Correct answer)
- Is stated only in the concluding paragraph.
Correct answer: Makes a specific claim or assertion about the topic.
The topic names the subject; the main idea makes a specific point or argument about that subject.
Question 6: Read: 'Deep-sea exploration has revealed ecosystems thriving without sunlight, powered instead by chemical energy from hydrothermal vents. These organisms challenge long-held assumptions about the requirements for life. Scientists now consider such environments when searching for life on other planets.' The main idea is:
- Hydrothermal vents are found only in the Pacific Ocean.
- Deep-sea life forms survive by photosynthesis in dark conditions.
- Discoveries of sunlight-independent life have expanded our understanding of where life can exist. (Correct answer)
- NASA funds all deep-sea exploration missions.
Correct answer: Discoveries of sunlight-independent life have expanded our understanding of where life can exist.
The passage is about how chemosynthetic life broadens the concept of habitable environments, including implications for astrobiology.
Question 7: If a passage contains many specific statistics and examples but no explicit topic sentence, how should a reader determine the main idea?
- Assume the first statistic mentioned is the main idea.
- Skip the passage and look for a summary at the end of the section.
- Identify what all the details have in common and infer the overarching point. (Correct answer)
- Choose the most surprising fact as the main idea.
Correct answer: Identify what all the details have in common and infer the overarching point.
When no topic sentence is present, readers must synthesize details to infer the implied main idea.
OAR OAR Reading Comprehension: Main Idea 2
Read the passage: 'The Navy's submarine fleet operates silently beneath the ocean surface, gathering intelligence and projecting power without detection.
Submariners undergo rigorous training to manage complex systems in confined spaces under extreme pressure.
Their missions often last months, requiring psychological resilience alongside technical skill.' What is the main idea?