Summarizing Nonfiction Texts

Summarizing Nonfiction Texts

Read each passage carefully. Then, answer the questions that follow by summarizing the main ideas.

The Grand Canyon is a very large, steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, United States. It is one of the most famous natural wonders of the world. The canyon is about 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and 1 mile (1.8 km) deep. Millions of years of erosion by water and wind have exposed colorful layers of rock, telling a story of Earth's history. Many tourists visit the Grand Canyon each year to hike, raft, and enjoy the breathtaking views.

1. What is the main idea of this passage in one sentence?

2. List three important details about the Grand Canyon from the passage.

Butterflies are insects known for their beautiful, often brightly colored wings. They start their lives as tiny eggs, usually laid on a leaf. When an egg hatches, a larva, or caterpillar, emerges. The caterpillar eats leaves and grows quickly, shedding its skin several times. After reaching its full size, the caterpillar forms a chrysalis. Inside the chrysalis, a marvelous transformation, called metamorphosis, takes place. Finally, a beautiful adult butterfly emerges, ready to fly and lay its own eggs, continuing the life cycle.

3. What is the main topic of this passage?

4. Summarize the life cycle of a butterfly in your own words, using 2-3 sentences.

Read the following sentences. Circle the sentence that best states the main idea.

5. Bees are important for pollination. They visit flowers to collect nectar and pollen. As they move from flower to flower, they carry pollen, which helps plants make seeds and fruits. Without bees, many plants would not be able to reproduce.

Fill in the blanks with the best word to complete the sentence about summarizing.

6. When you summarize, you tell the   of a text in your  .

7. A good summary is usually   and does not include too many small  .