ISEE Lower Level Reading : Identifying and Analyzing Main Idea and Theme in Literature Passages
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Example Questions
Example Question #11 : Ideas In Literature Passages
Adapted from The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss (1879 Kingston ed.)
Thus talking, we pushed on until we came to a pleasant grove which stretched down to the water's edge. Here, we halted to rest, seating ourselves under a large tree, by a rivulet that murmured and splashed along its pebbly bed into the great ocean before us. A thousand gaily-plumaged birds flew twittering above us, and Fritz and I gazed up at them.
My son suddenly started up.
"A monkey," he exclaimed. “I am nearly sure I saw a monkey."
As he spoke, he sprang round to the other side of the tree, and in doing so, stumbled over a small round object. He handed it to me, remarking as he did so that it was a round bird's nest, of which he had often heard. "You may have done so," said I, laughing, "but this is a coconut."
We split open the nut, but, to our disgust, found the kernel dry and uneatable.
"Hullo," cried Fritz, "I always thought a coconut was full of delicious sweet liquid, like almond milk."
"So it is," I replied, "when young and fresh, but as it ripens the milk becomes congealed, and in course of time is solidified into a kernel. This kernel then dries as you see here, but when the nut falls on favorable soil, the germ within the kernel swells until it bursts through the shell, and, taking root, springs up a new tree."
"I do not understand," said Fritz, "how the little germ manages to get through this great thick shell, which is not like an almond or hazelnut shell, which is divided down the middle already."
"Nature provides for all things," I answered, taking up the pieces. " Look here, do you see these three round holes near the stalk? It is through them that the germ obtains egress. Now let us find a good nut if we can."
As coconuts must be overripe before they fall naturally from the tree, it was not without difficulty that we obtained one in which the kernel was not dried up. When we succeeded, however, we were so refreshed by the fruit that we could defer eating until later in the day, and so spare our stock of provisions.
Which of the following best describes what happens in this passage?
The narrator and Fritz explore.
The narrator and Fritz encounter a coconut tree; the narrator explains coconuts to Fritz, and they find and eat a ripe coconut.
The narrator and Fritz wander away from the rest of their group and find a coconut tree; the narrator explains coconuts to Fritz, and they find and eat a ripe coconut.
The narrator and Fritz discuss coconuts.
The narrator and Fritz find a coconut tree.
The narrator and Fritz encounter a coconut tree; the narrator explains coconuts to Fritz, and they find and eat a ripe coconut.
When picking out the correct answer to a question that asks about a passage’s main idea, it is important to pick out one that describes what happens in each paragraph, but isn’t broad enough to include ideas that aren’t discussed. In this case, the answer choice “The narrator and Fritz discuss coconuts” is too narrow, because more happens in the passage than just this conversation. “The narrator and Fritz explore” is also much too general, as this doesn't mention coconuts at all. Similarly, “The narrator and Fritz find a coconut tree” is also too general when compared to the other available answer choices.
The two remaining answer choices are “The narrator and Fritz encounter a coconut tree; the narrator explains coconuts to Fritz, and they find and eat a ripe coconut,” and “The narrator and Fritz wander away from the rest of their group and find a coconut tree; the narrator explains coconuts to Fritz, and they find and eat a ripe coconut.” These answers differ in one point: the latter includes “The narrator and Fritz wander away from the rest of their group,” whereas the first one doesn’t. Since nothing is mentioned about their wandering away from a group in the passage, the latter of these two answers cannot be correct. This means that the correct answer is “The narrator and Fritz encounter a coconut tree; the narrator explains coconuts to Fritz, and they find and eat a ripe coconut.”
Example Question #11 : Identifying And Analyzing Main Idea And Theme In Literature Passages
Adapted from "The Sing-Song of Old Man Kangaroo" in Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling (1902)
Not always was the Kangaroo as now we do behold him, but a Different Animal with four short legs. He was grey and he was woolly, and his pride was inordinate: he danced on an outcrop in the middle of Australia, and he went to the Little God Nqa.
He went to Nqa at six before breakfast, saying, “Make me different from all other animals by five this afternoon.”
Up jumped Nqa from his seat on the sand flat and shouted, “Go away!”
He was grey and he was woolly, and his pride was inordinate: he danced on a rock-ledge in the middle of Australia, and he went to the Middle God Nquing.
He went to Nquing at eight after breakfast, saying, “Make me different from all other animals; make me, also, wonderfully popular by five this afternoon.”
Up jumped Nquing from his burrow in the spinifex and shouted, “Go away!”
He was grey and he was woolly, and his pride was inordinate: he danced on a sandbank in the middle of Australia, and he went to the Big God Nqong.
He went to Nqong at ten before dinner-time, saying, “Make me different from all other animals; make me popular and wonderfully run after by five this afternoon.”
Up jumped Nqong from his bath in the salt-pan and shouted, “Yes, I will!”
Nqong called Dingo—Yellow-Dog Dingo—always hungry, dusty in the sunshine, and showed him Kangaroo. Nqong said, “Dingo! Wake up, Dingo! Do you see that gentleman dancing on an ashpit? He wants to be popular and very truly run after. Dingo, make him SO!”
Up jumped Dingo—Yellow-Dog Dingo—and said, "What, that cat-rabbit?"
Off ran Dingo—Yellow-Dog Dingo—always hungry, grinning like a coal-scuttle—ran after Kangaroo.
Off went the proud Kangaroo on his four little legs like a bunny.
This, O Beloved of mine, ends the first part of the tale!
He ran through the desert; he ran through the mountains; he ran through the salt-pans; he ran through the reed-beds; he ran through the blue gums; he ran through the spinifex; he ran till his front legs ached.
He had to!
Still ran Dingo—Yellow-Dog Dingo—always hungry, grinning like a rat-trap, never getting nearer, never getting farther—ran after Kangaroo.
He had to!
Still ran Kangaroo—Old Man Kangaroo. He ran through the ti-trees; he ran through the mulga; he ran through the long grass; he ran through the short grass; he ran through the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer; he ran till his hind legs ached.
He had to!
Still ran Dingo—Yellow-Dog Dingo—hungrier and hungrier, grinning like a horse-collar, never getting nearer, never getting farther; and they came to the Wollgong River.
Now, there wasn't any bridge, and there wasn't any ferry-boat, and Kangaroo didn't know how to get over; so he stood on his legs and hopped.
He had to!
The main purpose of the passage is __________.
to describe the enmity between the Kangaroo and the Dingo
to explain the growth of the Kangaroo's tail
to tell us the nature of the theory of evolution
to tell us the story of how the Kangaroo came to be as it is
to explain why the Kangaroo has no friends
to tell us the story of how the Kangaroo came to be as it is
Whilst the Dingo does chase the Kangaroo, the main theme of the passage is how the Kangaroo came to be as it is. We know this because the first paragraph describes how the Kangaroo used to be different. We can assume that the Kangaroo gets his wish and changes by the end of the story due to events that take place later in the tale.
Example Question #11 : Identifying And Analyzing Main Idea And Theme In Literature Passages
Adapted from "The Bat, the Birds, and the Beasts" by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1909)
A great conflict was about to take place between the Birds and the Beasts. When the two armies were gathered together, the Bat hesitated which to join. The Birds that passed his perch said "Come with us," but he said to them, "I am a Beast."
Later on, some Beasts who were passing underneath him looked up and said "Come with us," but he said, "I am a Bird." Luckily at the last moment peace was made, and no battle took place, so the Bat came to the Birds and wished to join in the celebrations, but they all turned against him and he had to fly away. He then went to the Beasts, but soon had to run away, or else they would have torn him to pieces. "Ah," said the Bat, "I see now: he that is neither one thing nor the other has no friends."
Who won the battle between the beasts and the birds?
The birds without the help of the bat.
No one; they never fought.
The birds with the help of the bat.
The beasts with the help of the bat.
The beasts without the help of the bat.
No one; they never fought.
The author says, “Luckily at the last moment peace was made, and no battle took place.” This tells us that the battle between the beasts and the birds was never fought, so no one could have won.
Example Question #13 : Prose Passages
Adapted from "The Lion and the Mouse" by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1909)
Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up and down on top of him; this soon woke up the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon the mouse, and opened his big jaws to swallow him. "Pardon, O King," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who knows but maybe I shall be able to assist you one of these days?" The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him that he lifted up his paw and let him go. Sometime after the Lion was caught in a trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him on. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was in, went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts. "Was I not right?" said the little Mouse. “Little friends may prove great friends and a small mercy can go a long way.”
Which of these statements best summarizes the moral of the story?
“Little friends may prove great friends and a small mercy can go a long way.”
“’Pardon, O King,'" cried the little Mouse: ‘forgive me this time.’”
“Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up and down on top of him.”
None of these answers; this story has no moral.
“The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him that he lifted up his paw and let him go.”
“Little friends may prove great friends and a small mercy can go a long way.”
The moral of a story is the lesson or message contained within that is meant to teach you a lesson about how to behave. In this story, the moral is primarily that showing a small amount of mercy can go a long way towards furthering your own interests. This is best summarized by the mouse at the end of the story when he says, “'Little friends may prove great friends and a small mercy can go a long way.'”
Example Question #14 : Ideas In Literature Passages
Adapted from "The Lion’s Share" in The Fables of Aesop by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1902)
The Lion once went hunting with the Fox, the Jackal, and the Wolf. They hunted and they hunted till at last they surprised a Stag, and soon took its life. Then came the question of how the spoil should be divided. "Quarter me this Stag," roared the Lion; so the other animals skinned it and cut it into four parts. Then the Lion took his stand in front of the carcass and pronounced judgment: "The first quarter is for me in my capacity as King of Beasts; the second is mine as arbiter; another share comes to me for my part in the chase; and as for the fourth quarter, well, as for that, I should like to see which of you will dare to lay a paw upon it." "Humph," grumbled the Fox as he walked away with his tail between his legs; but he spoke in a low growl. “You may share the labors of the great, but you will not share the spoil."
What does the Fox realize at the end of the story?
No matter how much work you put into something you can never account for luck.
None of these answers; it is the Lion who learns a lesson at the end of the story.
Even if you share the workload with those who have power, you will not share the reward.
Wolves and jackals make loyal allies.
Lions cannot be trusted to share anything.
Even if you share the workload with those who have power, you will not share the reward.
This story tells of a lion, and several other animals, who hunt and kill a deer together, and after they have killed it the lion keeps the deer for himself and does not give anything to those who have helped him. At the end of the story, the Fox says, “You may share the labors of the great, but you will not share the spoil." This means that even if you help great people archive things, you will not necessarily share their rewards.
Example Question #201 : Isee Lower Level (Grades 5 6) Reading Comprehension
Adapted from "The Lion and the Mouse" by Aesop (trans. Jacobs 1909)
Once when a Lion was asleep a little Mouse began running up and down on top of him; this soon woke up the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon the mouse, and opened his big jaws to swallow him. "Pardon, O King," cried the little Mouse: "forgive me this time, I shall never forget it: who knows but maybe I shall be able to assist you one of these days?" The Lion was so tickled at the idea of the Mouse being able to help him that he lifted up his paw and let him go. Sometime after the Lion was caught in a trap, and the hunters who desired to carry him alive to the King, tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him on. Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was in, went up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts. "Was I not right?" said the little Mouse. “Little friends may prove great friends and a small mercy can go a long way.”
Through what virtuous characteristic did the lion gain the loyalty of the mouse?
Expressing confidence
Being honest
Showing mercy
Speaking proudly
Being funny
Showing mercy
"Virtuous" means good or noble. It is virtuous to be honest or to share, for example. In this instance, the lion is virtuous because he does not kill the mouse. This is an example of “showing mercy.” "Mercy" means something close to forgiveness, kindness, or compassion.
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