Reading: Informational Text
What to Know
Informational text gives facts. You must find the main idea (what the whole text is mostly about) and the supporting details (facts that explain it). Know how to use text features: headings, captions, bold words, diagrams, timelines, and glossaries. Also know text structures such as cause and effect, compare and contrast, problem and solution, and sequence.
Traps to Watch
- A detail is not the main idea. One interesting fact may appear in a wrong answer.
- Too broad or too narrow. The main idea should cover the whole passage, not one paragraph and not the entire universe.
- First sentence is not always the main idea. It may be a hook.
- Captions and diagrams carry facts too. An answer may come from a caption, not the paragraph.
Worked Example
A passage explains that beavers build dams, and the dams create ponds where fish and birds live. A question asks for the main idea. The trap "Beavers have flat tails" is a detail (and off-topic). The trap "Animals live in ponds" is too broad. The correct answer is "Beaver dams help other animals" because it covers the whole passage.
Rule of Thumb
Cover the details and ask: What one sentence would the author write on the board? That is your main idea.