IXL | Determine the main idea of a passage

Read the passage.

Stamping Out Propaganda

In the years leading up to World War II, the Nazi Party in Germany advanced extremely negative portrayals of Jewish people and culture. By depicting Jews as subhuman criminals, the Nazis sought to fuel public hatred. An Austrian woman named Irene Harand was concerned about the falsehoods being spread across Western Europe. To counteract the Nazi propaganda, Harand created a series of educational stamps, with each stamp featuring a Jewish person who had benefited society. For example, one stamp showed a picture of Benjamin Disraeli, a former prime minister of the United Kingdom, while another featured Paul Ehrlich, a notable scientist. Harand and her volunteers pasted their stamps on letters, next to regular postage stamps; they also secretly pasted them on the walls of an anti-Jewish exhibit. They hoped that the positive portrayals on their stamps would help counter the Nazis' malicious campaign to fuel hatred toward Jews.

What is the main, or central, idea of the passage?

To promote hatred of Jews, the Nazi Party spread negative propaganda about Jewish people.

To combat anti-Jewish propaganda, Irene Harand developed stamps showcasing Jews who had made important contributions to society.

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question

Read the passage.

The Soil Conservation Service

In 1933, in response to the failing farms and drought in the Great Plains of the United States, the federal government established the temporary Soil Erosion Service (SES). The SES worked to promote conservation farming techniques that had been shown to prevent and combat soil erosion. While the program achieved some success, its director, Hugh Bennett, felt that more support was warranted. He believed that a permanent government agency was necessary to achieve recovery and to prevent future farming catastrophes. In numerous memos to Congress, he described the damage caused by soil erosion and the importance of conservation farming. He also met with lawmakers to discuss his concerns and even spoke with the president. In 1935, as a result of Bennett's advocacy, Congress established the Soil Conservation Service (SCS), a permanent agency within the United States Department of Agriculture. The SCS was renamed the Natural Resources Conservation Service in 1994.

What is the main, or central, idea of the passage?

Because of Hugh Bennett's efforts, the Soil Conservation Service was established as a permanent federal agency.

In response to drought in the Great Plains, the government set up programs to combat soil erosion.

key idea

A main, or central, idea is the most important idea or claim that a text conveys.

The supporting details provide information that develops the main idea. Each detail in a text plays a specific role in supporting or refining readers' understanding of the main idea. For example, a writer might use supporting details to provide a description, explain a process, offer an example, emphasize the significance of a point, define a term, or make a comparison.

solution

The main, or central, idea of the passage is Because of Hugh Bennett's efforts, the Soil Conservation Service was established as a permanent federal agency.

Notice the phrase as a result of. It suggests that the main idea involves a cause and its effect. Here, the main idea is that Bennett's advocacy led to, or caused, the establishment of the Soil Conservation Service.

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