Main idea
The main idea of a paragraph is what the whole paragraph is
mostly about.
The details are small pieces of information that make the
paragraph more interesting.
The details give small pieces of information about the main idea.
As you read about sloths, think about the main idea of each
paragraph.
Sloths
Sloths are the slowest mammals on earth. It takes a full minute
for a sloth to move 6 feet across the ground. You probably
couldn’t move that slowly if you tried! The sloth’s body is about 2
feet long. It has long legs, and curved claws that are 3 to 4 inches
long. Their claws and their long legs help them climb trees and
hang from tree branches. They spend almost their entire lives
hanging from tree branches. The life of a sloth is not very
exciting.
Sloths have a round head, small ears, a stubby tail, and sad-
looking eyes set in a dark-colored “mask.” The shape of a sloth’s
mouth makes it look like it is always smiling. It has extra bones in
its neck that make it possible for it to turn its head almost all the
way around. Sloths are very cute to look at, but they don’t put on
much of a show.
Sloths are home to other plants and creatures. Tiny plants grow
on the sloth’s fur, making the animals appear to be green. This
green color makes the sloths almost invisible against the green
leaves of the trees they live in. Moths and insects also live in the
sloth’s fur. Maybe the sloths move so little and so seldom that the
small creatures that live on them don’t even know they are
animals.
Giant sloths the size of elephants once lived in many places on
earth, including North America. Today, sloths can be found in the
tropical forests of Central and South America. They eat leaves and
berries. A sloth can stick its tongue out 12 inches. Maybe they
developed this skill so they wouldn’t have to move to reach the
tasty leaves and berries around their resting spot. Their main
enemies are jaguars, eagles, and snakes. Many tropical forests
are disappearing, along with the sloths that live there. It would be
a sad thing if these fascinating little animals became extinct.
1. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?
A. Sloths are the slowest mammals on earth.
B. It takes a full minute for a sloth to move 6 feet across the
ground.
C. The sloth’s body is about 2 feet long.
D. The life of a sloth is not very exciting.
2. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?
A. Sloths have a round head, small ears, and sad-looking eyes.
B. The shape of a sloth’s mouth make it look like it is always
smiling.
C. A sloth can turn its head almost all the way around.
D. Sloths are very cute to look at.
3. What is the main idea of the third paragraph?
A. Sloths are home to other plants and creatures.
B. Tiny plants grow on the sloth’s fur.
C. The plants that grow on the sloth make the sloth green.
D. Moths and insects live in the sloth’s fur.
4. What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
A. Sloths the size of elephants once lived on earth.
B. Today, sloths live in the tropical forests of Central and
South America. C. A sloth can stick its tongue out 12 inches.
D. It would be sad if sloths became extinct.
5. What is one interesting detail from the last paragraph?
As you read the story, think about the main idea of each
paragraph.
Benjamin Sees a Sloth
Benjamin’s class was learning about unusual animals. Today they
were going on a field trip to the zoo to see some of the animals
they had learned about. Benjamin’s favorite was the sloth. He had
never seen one, but he had learned a lot about them, and seen
pictures of them. They were so cute. They had big round eyes,
and looked like they were wearing a mask. The sloths in all of the
pictures looked like they were smiling.
Benjamin remembered a story he had read about sloths. The
story said that many sloths live in the tropical forests in the South
American country of Bolivia. Santa Cruz, a large city in Bolivia,
has many large parks with old and beautiful trees. Years ago,
many sloths lived in these trees. People liked to come to the
parks and look for the sloths. Even though there were many sloths
in the parks, they were hard to see. Their fur was as green as the
leaves of the trees they lived in. Benjamin wished he could have
visited one of those parks. He was sure he would have been able
to spot the sloths, even if they were hard to see.
The story went on to say that there was a problem with the sloths
in the parks. Even though sloths don’t move very often, and are
very, very slow, they do not like to be bothered. And if they are
bothered, their long curved claws make very good weapons.
Children in the parks of Santa Cruz, and even some adults, would
poke at the sloths to try to get them to move. Some of these
people got serious
scratches and cuts from the sloths’ sharp claws. The city decided
to move the sloths out of the parks and back to the forests that
were their natural home. Benjamin decided that had been a good
idea. The sloths would be safer, and so would the people.
Benjamin’s class arrived at the zoo, and they finally came to the
section where the sloths lived. The sign said there were two
sloths. It was a large area, with many trees. Benjamin looked and
looked, but he didn’t see the sloths. He was very disappointed.
Then his teacher said, “Look there!” and pointed. And there was
one of the sloths, just ten feet away from Benjamin, a little higher
than his head. And it was even cuter in person than it was in the
pictures.
1. What is the main idea of the first paragraph?
A. Benjamin’s class was learning about unusual animals.
B. Benjamin’s class was going on a field trip to the zoo.
C. Benjamin had learned a lot about sloths.
D. The sloths in all of the pictures looked like they were
smiling.
2. What is the main idea of the second paragraph?
A. Many sloths live in the tropical forests of Bolivia.
B. Years ago, many sloths lived in the city parks of Santa
Cruz. C. People liked to come to the parks and look for the
sloths.
D. Benjamin wished he could have visited one of those
parks.
3. What is the main idea of the third paragraph?
A. There was a problem with having the sloths in the city
parks.
B. Sloths don’t move often, and are very slow when they do
move.
C. The sloth’s long curved claws make very good weapons.
D. Some people got serious scratches and cuts from the
sloths’ claws.
4. What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
A. The sign said there were two sloths.
B. It was a large area, with many trees.
C. Benjamin looked and looked, but he didn’t see the sloths.
D. The sloth was even cuter in person than it was in pictures.
5. What is one interesting detail from the last paragraph?
