Main Idea and Primary Purpose Flashcards
6 cards from real Reading Comprehension practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Main Idea and Primary Purpose flashcards as text
A passage discusses how migratory birds navigate using the Earth's magnetic field, the position of stars, and landmarks. The author also notes that light pollution from cities disrupts these navigation methods. What is the primary purpose?
Answer: To explain how migratory birds navigate and how human activity interferes with this ability
The passage combines explanation (how birds navigate) with a problem (light pollution disrupting navigation), making its primary purpose to inform about bird navigation and the human impact on it.
An author writes a book review that summarizes the plot, evaluates the writing style, and recommends the book for fans of historical fiction. What is the primary purpose?
Answer: To evaluate a book and guide potential readers in their decision
A book review that summarizes, evaluates, and recommends serves the primary purpose of helping readers decide whether to read the book — it's evaluative and advisory.
A passage describes how a family gathered for a grandmother's 90th birthday, shared stories about her life, and presented her with a scrapbook of family photos spanning seven decades. What is the main idea?
Answer: The family came together to celebrate and honor the grandmother's long life and legacy
The gathering, storytelling, and scrapbook all serve one purpose: celebrating and honoring the grandmother, making this the main idea of the passage.
A news article reports that a tech company has laid off 10% of its workforce, closed two regional offices, and shifted resources to artificial intelligence development. What is the main idea?
Answer: The company is restructuring its operations to prioritize AI development
The layoffs, office closures, and resource shift to AI are all parts of a strategic restructuring — the main idea is that the company is reorganizing to focus on AI.
A passage explains how to prepare a garden bed: clearing debris, testing soil pH, adding amendments, and creating proper drainage. What is the primary purpose?
Answer: To provide step-by-step instructions for preparing a garden bed
The passage presents sequential actions (clear, test, amend, drain) that form a how-to process, making its primary purpose instructional.
A passage discusses how different cultures celebrate the new year — fireworks in Sydney, temple bells in Japan, grape-eating in Spain, and water festivals in Thailand. What is the primary purpose?
Answer: To show the diversity of New Year traditions across cultures
By presenting distinct celebrations from multiple countries without ranking them, the author's purpose is to illustrate the rich diversity of how cultures mark the new year.