Quiz #2: Skim to Determine Key Ideas and Author's Purpose

Playfulness is a characteristic of most animals. Kittens wrestle and spar with each other. Puppies chase their tails, and bear cubs slide down mud banks. Sailors know that porpoises often race with vessels.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

The term white elephant, which means "a possession that is expensive to maintain and is of little use," originated in ancient Siam. To punish a disobedient noble, the King of Siam gave this person a white elephant, an animal that was considered sacred. The noble had to buy expensive jeweled coverings for the sacred animal and feed it huge quantities of the finest food. Often, the noble had to hire a special caretaker to look after the animal. Because of the enormous costs of caring for the white elephant, the noble eventually went broke.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

Wise consumers have learned to recognize deceptive sales practices. Some store owners, for example, may offer merchandise at "thirty percent off" but may have raised the original prices beforehand. Another deception is that of "bait and switch." A store will advertise an item at a truly low price (the bait). A customer asking for this item will be told that it is inferior in quality to another brand that costs more (the switch).

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

Please read the following details and determine the main idea of these words:

- coconut trees

- umbrella

- sand castle

- salt water

The mamba, a huge African snake that can reach a length of fourteen feet, is one of the deadliest reptiles on earth. It hunts aggressively, preying on small animals. Afraid of nothing, the mamba will attack whatever or whoever crosses its path. The bite of a mamba is usually fatal unless the victim receives antiserum.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

A young person can earn money after school. Have you ever mowed lawns? Delivered for a restaurant or grocery? Gardened? Baby-sat? If you want to earn in your spare time, call 0928-xxx-xxx now!

What is the author's purpose in this paragraph?

At first Aboriginal people forced the "settlers" back. However, their fight for their country could not be maintained. Many people died in battle and more succumbed to the waves of diseases brought to Australia by the British. Aboriginal people had no resistance to diseases to which they had no previous exposure. It is estimated that some Aboriginal clans lost 80 per cent of their numbers to smallpox alone.

- Young Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe

The percentage that some clans lost to smallpox is: 

School kids will soon be able to use emojis to instantly tell their teachers how they're feeling. Vivi, a classroom technology system already used by about a quarter of Independent schools and some government schools, has launched a new emoji feature encouraging kids to use the bright yellow faces most commonly recognized from mobile and social media messages.

The new classroom technology is called:

Which among the following reading purpose uses skimming:

A sonnet is a poem with fourteen lines that was first introduced by the Italian poet, Petrarch. In a sonnet's first eight lines, called the octave, a difficult situation or a problem is presented. In the remaining six lines, called the sestet, the situation or problem is resolved or remedied.

What is the name of the remaining six lines of a sonnet?