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 explains that wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park, which led to deer populations decreasing, vegetation recovering along riverbanks, and rivers actually changing course. What is the main idea?
Answer: Reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone triggered a trophic cascade that transformed the entire ecosystem
The chain of effects — wolves reducing deer, vegetation recovering, rivers changing — describes a trophic cascade, and the main idea is that wolf reintroduction triggered this ecosystem-wide transformation.
An author writes about their experience moving from a small town to a major city, describing both the excitement of new opportunities and the loneliness of leaving a close-knit community. What is the primary purpose?
Answer: To reflect on the complex, mixed emotions of a major life transition
By exploring both positive (excitement, opportunities) and negative (loneliness, leaving community) aspects, the author's purpose is reflective — examining the emotional complexity of a major change.
A passage describes how ancient Egyptian physicians used honey as an antibacterial wound treatment, and modern science has confirmed honey's antimicrobial properties. What is the main idea?
Answer: Ancient medical practices sometimes had scientific merit that modern research has validated
The passage connects ancient practice (honey for wounds) with modern validation (confirmed antibacterial properties), and the main idea is that some ancient medical knowledge has been scientifically verified.
A passage states: 'The average American generates 4.4 pounds of trash per day. If every household composted food waste, landfill volume could be reduced by 30%. Yet fewer than 5% of households currently compost.' What is the primary purpose?
Answer: To highlight the gap between composting's potential impact and its actual adoption rate
The passage presents a problem (high waste), a solution (composting could reduce landfill by 30%), and a gap (only 5% actually compost) — the purpose is to highlight this disparity between potential and reality.
A passage discusses how a small business owner started a bakery, faced near-bankruptcy in the first year, pivoted to online ordering during a crisis, and eventually expanded to three locations. What is the main idea?
Answer: Resilience and adaptability enabled a small business to overcome challenges and grow
The narrative arc — starting, nearly failing, adapting, and eventually thriving — centers on the theme of resilience and adaptability driving success despite obstacles.
A scientific article describes three experiments testing whether background music affects reading comprehension, presents mixed results, and concludes that the effect depends on the type of music and the complexity of the reading material. What is the primary purpose?
Answer: To present research findings showing that music's effect on reading comprehension is nuanced and context-dependent
The article presents experiments with mixed results and a conditional conclusion, making its primary purpose to report nuanced findings that depend on specific variables.