Main Idea This lesson contains several short stories

Main Idea This lesson contains several short stories. Read carefully. After each story you will be asked the main idea of the selection. Read each answer before choosing your final response. Are you ready?

Mr. Marvel lived in a small town with not a lot of things to do. He spent most of his time reading. He grew very smart and became a great storyteller. Children would come from miles around just to hear one of Mr. Marvel’s stories. He read with great enthusiasm and sometimes when he spoke his jowls would sway from side to side creating quite a picture. His voice could change from a very deep voice to a very dainty squeak of a voice. His stories were so intense that he would collapse from exhaustion at the end of each story. Children sat in awe of this wonderful storyteller. The Storyteller

1. A storyteller must be very smart. 2. Mr. Marvel is a very smart man because he loved to read. 3. Mr. Marvel was a great storyteller who totally captured his audience with his great skills. 4. Storytelling is very exhausting.

The Plaything Trapped inside the den of the lion, the small mouse pleaded for his life. The lion appeared to be unaffected by his plea. He pawed at the mouse as if he were just a toy. The mouse scurried away from the heavy paw and attempted to hide. Finding nowhere to go the mouse continued to run from side to side stalling to avoid what appeared to be a certain death. He breathed heavily and was becoming exhausted. Soon he decided that he could scurry no more. He collapsed in a dead heap. (cont. )

The lion pawed softly at the lump on the ground but the mouse would run no more. Once again he attempted to arouse the mouse with no success. The mouse stayed still. With a sigh of great disappointment the lion stood up. The lion strolled out of his den looking for his next adventure. The small mouse could not believe his good fortune and quickly slithered to safety from his accepted demise.

1. A mouse can sometimes outsmart a lion. 2. Lions play with their food. 3. A lion can be very gentle. 4. Surviving the capture of a lion is no easy task.

A Sheep’s Life Growing up on a farm is not always easy. Everyday an animal is slaughtered for dinner. A great big tractor chops up the ground around your home killing anything that lies in its way. The rooster always startles you awake with his ghastly noise pollution. Today, the farmer was secretly preparing for tomorrow’s activities. All the animals were talking and guessing what could be happening. Not knowing was just killing me and sleeping was just impossible.

Tossing and squirming about in my bed, I dreamt of the farmer coming after me. It was a very sleepless night and then came that darn rooster. As I opened my eyes, the nightmare came true. There in front of me was the farmer. In his hand was a very large knife. I stammered, “Wwwhat do you wwwwant? ”

The farmer simply nodded his head and slipped a rope with a loop around my neck. He prodded an unwilling candidate to a nearby pen where the farmer’s son was waiting to help. Then flashed the knife and with a quick sweep, off came the first mass of wool. “Well, better that than my head, ” I thought. On and on it continued until I stood there looking like a bald eagle. The farmer nodded to his son that he was finished and signaled him to take me back and get the next victim. I strolled back home with a certainty that I would sleep better tonight although I did feel somewhat nippy.

1. It takes a very big knife to sheer a sheep. 2. For a sheep being sheered of their wool can be a stressful experience. 3. Many different things happen on a farm. 4. All animals live in fear on a farm.