ACT Reading Comprehension: Main Ideas u0026 Details Quiz Quiz

Challenge your understanding of ACT Reading Comprehension main ideas and detailed questions with this medium-level quiz. Identify main points, supporting details, and key evidence to enhance your reading skills for ACT success.

1. Identifying the Main Idea

   After reading a passage about renewable energy sources, which statement best summarizes its main idea?

   1. Wind turbines can disturb local wildlife habitats.
   2. Solar panels are expensive to install in some regions.
   3. Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, offer sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels.
   4. Fossil fuels are still more commonly used than renewables.

   Explanation: The correct answer captures the overarching theme of the passage, highlighting renewable energy as a sustainable option compared to fossil fuels. The other choices are more specific details: the cost and impact of solar and wind (options B and C) and the continued dominance of fossil fuels (option D). These do not express the general idea conveyed throughout the passage.

2. Distinguishing Supporting Details

   If a paragraph in a passage lists various experiments showing plants grow faster under blue light, what is the role of these experiments?

   1. They provide supporting details for the main idea that blue light enhances plant growth.
   2. They contradict the passage’s main claim.
   3. They introduce a new unrelated topic about plant soil.
   4. They serve as the passage's main idea.

   Explanation: The experiments serve as evidence to support the main idea that blue light helps plants grow. Option B is incorrect because the details are directly related to light, not soil. Option C is not correct since the experiments support rather than contradict the claim. Option D is a distractor because supporting details are not the passage’s main idea but rather evidence for it.

3. Understanding Inferred Meaning

   The author describes a character who volunteers every weekend at an animal shelter despite having a busy schedule. What can you infer about the character?

   1. The character dislikes animals.
   2. The character is likely dedicated and compassionate.
   3. The character’s main hobby is painting.
   4. The character is paid for volunteering.

   Explanation: Based on the scenario, it is logical to infer dedication and compassion because the character consistently makes time for volunteering. Option B is inconsistent with the character’s actions. Option C contradicts the definition of volunteering, which is unpaid. Option D is unrelated and not supported by the passage.

4. Recognizing Purpose of a Detail

   Why might an author mention that a historical landmark survived three earthquakes since 1900?

   1. To argue that all historical buildings should be relocated.
   2. To show that earthquakes only occur in that region.
   3. To suggest the landmark’s location is unknown.
   4. To emphasize the landmark's resilience and historical significance.

   Explanation: The mention of surviving multiple earthquakes highlights the landmark's durability and importance over time. Option B is incorrect because the location is clearly known. Option C generalizes about earthquakes which is not the point being made. Option D introduces a different argument not supported by the detail.

5. Identifying a Detail versus a Main Idea

   Which sentence is most likely a detail, not the main idea, in a passage discussing childhood education?

   1. Early childhood education is crucial for cognitive development.
   2. Studies show educational games improve literacy rates.
   3. Many schools have implemented tablet-based learning in the past decade.
   4. Investing in education benefits society as a whole.

   Explanation: The sentence about schools using tablets is a specific example that supports broader points, making it a supporting detail. Option B and D are broad statements that could serve as main ideas. Option C, while potentially a detail, is more general and focuses on a research finding, whereas the correct answer references a concrete instance.