Central Idea & Objective Summary — Practice · Grade 8 English

Chapter: Informational Reading & Media

What this practice covers

By the end of Central Idea & Objective Summary you should be able to:

11 questions, multiple choice and written answer, each with a worked explanation.

Vocabulary used: central idea, objective summary, supporting detail.

Problem 1

Which best distinguishes a topic from a central idea?
  1. A topic is a word or phrase; a central idea is the specific point made about that topic
  2. A topic and a central idea are always the same length
  3. A central idea is a single word; a topic is a full sentence
  4. There is no meaningful difference between them
Answer and explanation

A topic is a word or phrase; a central idea is the specific point made about that topic

A topic names the subject broadly, while the central idea states the specific claim the text makes about it.

Problem 2

Which is the best central idea for the community garden passage?
  1. Community gardens benefit neighborhoods in several ways, including safety, cost, and community trust
  2. Community gardens only save families money on groceries
  3. Gardens are the single best thing a city can build
  4. Vegetables grow better in shared community plots than backyard gardens
Answer and explanation

Community gardens benefit neighborhoods in several ways, including safety, cost, and community trust

The best central idea captures the full range of benefits discussed, not just one detail, and doesn't add an opinion the text never stated.

Problem 3

Write one sentence stating the central idea of a nonfiction article or textbook section you've read recently.
Answer and explanation

A strong answer states a specific claim about the topic, not just the topic itself — for example, 'The article's central idea is that recycling programs only work well when cities also invest in public education about sorting rules.'

Problem 4

Which sentence would NOT belong in an objective summary of the community garden passage?
  1. I think community gardens are the best idea any city has ever had.
  2. Community gardens have spread through many cities in the last decade.
  3. Gardens can lower neighborhood crime rates.
  4. Participating families can save money on groceries.
Answer and explanation

I think community gardens are the best idea any city has ever had.

The first sentence adds a personal opinion the author never stated, which doesn't belong in an objective summary.

Problem 5

In the passage, 'cutting grocery costs by several hundred dollars a year' functions as a...
  1. supporting detail
  2. central idea
  3. counterclaim
  4. objective summary
Answer and explanation

supporting detail

This specific fact supports the broader central idea about the benefits of community gardens; it isn't the central idea itself.

Problem 6

Summarize without expanding the finding. Give a detail and explain its relevance.
Answer and explanation

Most interviewed users wanted a later route. The report recommends a trial but cannot show demand among people who were not interviewed.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 7

A learner writes: “The article proves that gardens are the best way to learn science.” Explain the problem and produce a better response.
Answer and explanation

The article supports a conditional benefit, not a comparison with every method. Preserve the maintenance condition and avoid “proves” when the evidence does not justify it.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 8

Compare what you must inspect in these two cases. What can transfer, and what must be checked again?
Answer and explanation

A central idea states what a nonfiction text develops about its topic. Supporting details explain, illustrate, qualify, or challenge it. The method transfers, but the particular detail, scope, and context must be read again. Most interviewed users wanted a later route. The report recommends a trial but cannot show demand among people who were not interviewed.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 9

Using an assigned reading or one exercise source, write a developed response applying central idea & objective summary. Aim for 120–180 words; name the reading or reproduce the sentence you revise.
Answer and explanation

School gardens can support learning when maintenance is planned. The article contrasts two gardens to show how vacation care affects whether that opportunity lasts. A complete response supplies context, a focused claim, a brief supporting detail, explanation, and a relevant qualification. Do not simply repeat this model.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 10

Write two specific feedback comments on a response to this unit: one on accuracy or meaning and one on evidence or language. Then state a revision priority.
Answer and explanation

Check whether the response explains a central idea states what a nonfiction text develops about its topic. supporting details explain, illustrate, qualify, or challenge it. Ask for a relevant detail and the reason it supports the conclusion. Prioritize the mistaken assumption shown here: “The article proves that gardens are the best way to learn science.”

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

Problem 11

Choose a fresh sentence or detail from the assigned selection. Explain how this unit’s method applies, and identify one uncertainty or limitation.
Answer and explanation

The sources agree that access matters but differ on how to estimate demand and fund supervision. The survey suggests interest among respondents; the restricted materials grant cannot pay wages. A funded attendance trial addresses the uncertainty. The response must supply its own precise detail and explain it; copying the model without fresh evidence is insufficient.

Use the criteria to compare your reasoning, not to copy the model’s wording. A supported alternative interpretation may earn full credit.

Response criteria

  • Make an accurate, focused claim or revision.
  • Use a relevant detail or a clearly explained language choice.
  • Explain the relationship and recognize a relevant limit.

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