1. Not much is important in our family. Marty's mother wants him to look okay all the time and my friend Nathan has to do well in school and Andy has so many rules he must go crazy just trying to remember them. My parents don't bother making up a lot of rules. But we do have to tell the truth — even if it's bad, which it usually is. You can imagine how I didn't really enjoy the special.

Circle the best restatement of the main idea: ( B )

(a) My parents don't make up a lot of rules for the family. 

(b) The important rule in our family is to tell the truth.  

(c) I didn't enjoy the television special because of the family rule.

2. On the earth's surface there are many lakes and rivers. Lakes are deep hollows or basins which are filled with water. Rivers are channels of water which flow to the sea or to lakes. Most lakes and rivers get their water from rain and from springs. Even in the driest part of the world there is some water in the air. You cannot see it or feel it when it is part of the air. The water in oceans and lakes and streams is a liquid. The water in the air is not a liquid but a gas. We call it water vapor. Clouds are made of water. They may be made of tiny drops of water. They may also be made of snow crystals. Snow crystals are tiny crystals of ice. Ice is frozen water or water that has become solid.

Circle the best restatement of the main idea: ( C )

(a) Water can even be found in the air.

(b) Water can be found everywhere.

(c) Water is everywhere in different forms.

B. Read each of the following paragraphs and decide what the topic is. Then decide on the general statement (the main idea) the author makes about the topic.

1. What exactly is a network? In the world of computers, a network simply means two or more computers linked together in some way. This allows people in different places to communicate with each other and to share data and resources. For example, a school or an office might have a big central computer, called a server. It stores various programs and files. If someone on the network, using another computer, wants to use one of the files on the server, his or her computer would retrieve that file from the server.

Topic: 

Main idea:

( Computer networks ) 

( A network links computers together and allows people to communicate. )

2. Forests are not just important for timber. A forest acts like a giant sponge, absorbing rainfall and preventing it from running away into rivers. It then releases the water slowly by evaporation from its leaves. This helps to stabilize the rainfall of areas downwind from the forest. Forest cover also prevents the soil being eroded (worn away) and silting up rivers and lakes. By holding back the water, the forest prevents disastrous flooding further downstream.
Topic: 

Main idea:

( Forest ) 

( The forest preserves water and protects the soil. )

3. Whenever you hear a sound, find out where it comes from and what causes it. We make sounds by making things move to-and-fro. This to-and-fro movement is called vibration. It means moving up and down or forwards and backwards very fast. These vibrations cause the air to vibrate. This makes sound waves.
Topic: 

Main idea:

( Sound ) 

( Vibration produces sound. )