Because we live in the Pacific
Northwest, we are used to jokes about being ducks with webbed
feet due to the abundance of water. Have you ever wondered what
it would be like to permanently live without much water? This
article tells all about living in the desert.
Click on the book link to the right
to read the article Living in the Desert from
TimeLife Books. In this first practice question, you'll be
focusing on the main idea of the article.
As you read the article, highlight main ideas (take
notes, or print the article and write on the paper). To help
identify main ideas, remember to:
Look at the format of the article.
title
headings
sub-headings
any words in bold lettering
graphics and illustrations
Look at the beginning sentence of each
paragraph.
Think of one sentence that describes what
the passage was about.
A major or important idea is more than
a word; it should be stated in a complete sentence.
Major ideas are always supported by details to prove or
explain the idea.
Before reading the question and answers:
You've already figured out the article is about living in
the desert. The title clearly gives you that information.
The first sentence tells you the main challenge of living
in the desert is water. The rest of the article describes
the various solutions people have found to live in the desert.
Write a sentence telling what kinds of solutions there
are to help people live in the desert. Remember, you
read lots of supporting details in the article to support
the main idea. The main idea is going to be the core of the
article, with the supporting details all connecting to the
main idea.
Now after you read the question, see if any of the possible
answer choices are similar to your sentence.
Question:
All of the sentences
below give important information about living in the desert.
Which sentence is the main idea of the article?
Yes
No
Maybe
Answers
A.
In buildings, thick adobe or brick walls provide insulation
and shelter, and, being slow to heat up and cool down, smooth
out the daily temperature fluctuations.
B.
In other parts of the world, thick walls have been combined
with artificial ventilation, and buildings are oriented to take
advantage of prevailing winds or sea breezes.
C.
Low-technology solutions, such as appropriate clothing and
building design, can provide relief from all but the worst extremes
of heat.
D.
Leaving your skin bare can make you hotter, because it absorbs
the sun's radiation.
Is your answer A, B, C or D? Check for the correct answer.
Let's stay in the desert for a while and explore
the difference between main ideas and supporting details.
