How to use this set

1. Read the paragraph. Ask: what is the single main idea.
2. Scan the heading. Does it name the central message, not a detail.
3. Check the rationale. Note which clues confirmed the choice.

Timing targets

• Per paragraph: 40 to 60 seconds
• Review block of 10: 6 to 8 minutes

Practice Set: 50 Paragraphs, Best Heading, Rationale

1. Paragraph
Storms have grown stronger along the estuary, eating beaches and exposing old sea walls. Local councils now fund dunes and vegetation projects to slow the loss.
Best heading: Erosion Reshapes the Coast
Rationale: Central idea is shoreline loss and responses to it.

2. Paragraph
A start-up swapped plastic rings on six-packs for dissolvable fiber loops. Turtles can bite through them, and factories can compost offcuts with brewery waste.
Best heading: A Safer Packaging Design
Rationale: Focus on a new, safer alternative to plastic rings.

3. Paragraph
Museum guides noticed visitors linger longer at artifacts when captions pose questions. Engagement rose again when captions invited quick predictions before revealing answers.
Best heading: Questions Boost Museum Engagement
Rationale: Main claim is inquiry driven captions increase attention.

4. Paragraph
A city tested quiet asphalt to cut traffic noise near schools. Later measurements showed lower decibels without reducing vehicle flow or speed limits.
Best heading: Paving for Quieter Streets
Rationale: Emphasis on material change lowering noise.

5. Paragraph
Orchards facing late frosts replaced diesel heaters with fans that mix warmer air from higher layers. Fuel costs fell while blossom survival improved.
Best heading: Smarter Frost Protection in Orchards
Rationale: Main idea is a new frost method outperforming heaters.

6. Paragraph
Teachers who let teens choose nonfiction chapters saw higher completion. Choice did not inflate grades, but students reported stronger ownership of reading.
Best heading: Choice Increases Reading Commitment
Rationale: Central message is choice drives completion and ownership.

7. Paragraph
An airline trimmed water carried on board by tracking real consumption on routes. Lighter planes saved fuel with no passenger complaints recorded.
Best heading: Data Guided Fuel Savings
Rationale: Data use reduced weight and saved fuel.

8. Paragraph
Archaeologists found dyes on stone tools, suggesting early people colored baskets and skins. Colorants matched local minerals near camp sites.
Best heading: Early Evidence of Everyday Color
Rationale: Main idea is routine use of color in daily goods.

9. Paragraph
After drought, lake weeds clogged turbines. Engineers released carp in controlled numbers, then added screens. Power output stabilized within months.
Best heading: Restoring a Dam’s Efficiency
Rationale: Focus on measures taken to recover performance.

10. Paragraph
Office pilots cut meetings to 20 minutes and banned slides. Teams reported quicker decisions and fewer follow up emails within a month.
Best heading: Shorter Meetings, Faster Decisions
Rationale: Key point is reduced meeting time improves outcomes.

11. Paragraph
A clinic noticed antibiotic requests dip when posters explained viral vs bacterial infections in simple icons. Doctors reported easier conversations.
Best heading: Clearer Messages Reduce Antibiotic Demand
Rationale: Central idea is education lowers unnecessary requests.

12. Paragraph
Beekeepers placed water trays with cork floats beside hives. Fewer bees drowned, and colony strength held through a hot summer.
Best heading: Simple Water Aids Bee Survival
Rationale: Practical solution supports bee health.

13. Paragraph
Solar farms planted wildflowers beneath panels. Pollinator counts rose, and nearby orchards reported better yields in the following season.
Best heading: Solar Fields Double as Habitat
Rationale: Dual benefit of energy and ecology.

14. Paragraph
Researchers mapped city shade at noon using drones. New benches and trees were placed on heat worst blocks first.
Best heading: Targeting Urban Heat with Shade Maps
Rationale: Mapping guides interventions against heat.

15. Paragraph
A library scrapped fines and saw returns increase. Patrons said fear of debt no longer kept them away.
Best heading: Ending Fines Brings Readers Back
Rationale: Removing fines improved return rates and access.

16. Paragraph
A commuter app highlighted the carbon impact of each route. Many riders chose slightly slower trips for lower emissions.
Best heading: Carbon Labels Shift Travel Choices
Rationale: Information changes user behavior toward greener options.

17. Paragraph
Cafes introduced reusable cup deposits. Most customers returned cups within days, cutting single use waste sharply.
Best heading: Deposit Systems Reduce Cup Waste
Rationale: Deposit method drives high return rates.

18. Paragraph
An island reopened a footpath after nesting birds adapted to rope corridors. Volunteers patrolled during peak hatching weeks.
Best heading: Balancing Access and Wildlife Needs
Rationale: Managed access protects birds while allowing visitors.

19. Paragraph
Nurses tested a bedside checklist that included patient questions first. Reported errors dropped and satisfaction scores climbed.
Best heading: A Checklist That Starts with Patients
Rationale: Patient first checklist improves safety and experience.

20. Paragraph
A food co op moved surplus produce to a discount shelf at closing. Waste fell by half, and membership grew.
Best heading: Turning Surplus into Savings
Rationale: Strategy reduces waste and attracts shoppers.

21. Paragraph
Local makers used algae based plastics for packaging soaps. Items held shape in stores and broke down quickly in compost.
Best heading: Algae Packaging Shows Promise
Rationale: New material works in retail and composts well.

22. Paragraph
Volunteers mapped potholes with a phone app. City crews prioritized clusters, fixing dangerous stretches first.
Best heading: Crowdsourced Repairs Speed Up Fixes
Rationale: Public reporting guides efficient maintenance.

23. Paragraph
A school asked students to record sleep and mood. Later, classes started 30 minutes later and attendance improved.
Best heading: Later Starts Lift Attendance
Rationale: Data led to shift that improved turnout.

24. Paragraph
Farmers rotated duck flocks through rice fields. Ducks ate pests and stirred nutrients, reducing chemical inputs.
Best heading: Ducks as Natural Farm Helpers
Rationale: Biological control replaces chemicals.

25. Paragraph
A coding club swapped contests for peer coaching sessions. Beginners stayed longer and advanced members refined explanations.
Best heading: Coaching Culture Retains Learners
Rationale: Shift to coaching boosts retention and skills.

26. Paragraph
A mountain town rerouted hikers during thaw periods. Trails healed faster, and rescue calls declined.
Best heading: Seasonal Trail Rules Protect Slopes
Rationale: Timing access preserves terrain and safety.

27. Paragraph
Hospitals trialed text reminders that linked to bus schedules. Missed appointments fell in outer suburbs.
Best heading: Transport Aware Reminders Cut No Shows
Rationale: Transit info in reminders reduces absences.

28. Paragraph
A gallery replaced long labels with two sentence summaries plus an optional QR deep dive. Visitors reported less fatigue.
Best heading: Bite Size Labels Improve Visits
Rationale: Short summaries reduce cognitive load.

29. Paragraph
Researchers cooled servers by circulating groundwater at night. Energy bills dropped without new chillers.
Best heading: Night Cooling for Data Centers
Rationale: Passive cooling reduces energy use.

30. Paragraph
A park set quiet hours around the heron rookery. Bird numbers stabilized after years of decline.
Best heading: Quiet Zones Help Nesting Birds
Rationale: Noise control supports recovery.

31. Paragraph
A retailer framed prices as per use instead of per item. Customers chose durable goods more often.
Best heading: Per Use Pricing Nudges Quality
Rationale: Reframing cost steers buyers to durability.

32. Paragraph
Clinic staff added a color band to allergy charts. Fewer patients received contraindicated drugs.
Best heading: Visual Flags Improve Safety
Rationale: Simple visual cue prevents mistakes.

33. Paragraph
An old cinema reopened with community shares. Profits fund subtitles and sensory friendly screenings.
Best heading: Community Ownership Revives a Cinema
Rationale: Shared model sustains inclusive programming.

34. Paragraph
City bees thrived in rooftop hives where pesticide use was low. Honey samples showed diverse plant sources.
Best heading: Urban Hives Can Flourish
Rationale: Cities offer conditions that support bee health.

35. Paragraph
A fisheries board capped net size during spawning months. Stock assessments improved the following year.
Best heading: Seasonal Limits Aid Fish Recovery
Rationale: Targeted limits support population rebound.

36. Paragraph
Textbook authors added one misconception per chapter with a correction. Students spotted errors faster in exams.
Best heading: Teaching Through Misconceptions
Rationale: Deliberate errors train detection skills.

37. Paragraph
A charity replaced street fundraising with monthly skill workshops. Donors stayed longer and volunteered more hours.
Best heading: Skills First Strategy Builds Loyalty
Rationale: Value driven engagement increases retention.

38. Paragraph
Wind farm operators scheduled maintenance during migratory peaks to idle turbines. Bird strikes fell sharply.
Best heading: Smarter Turbine Scheduling Saves Birds
Rationale: Timing operations reduces harm.

39. Paragraph
A wetlands board paid farmers for temporary flood storage. Downstream towns reported fewer severe floods.
Best heading: Paying for Upstream Protection
Rationale: Incentives reduce downstream risk.

40. Paragraph
A publisher tested dyslexia friendly fonts and spacing. Reading speed rose for affected students without harming others.
Best heading: Inclusive Design Speeds Reading
Rationale: Formatting change aids many, hurts none.

41. Paragraph
Commuters used foldable scooters for the last mile from trains. Parking demand near stations eased.
Best heading: Last Mile Scooters Ease Pressure
Rationale: Solution reduces station congestion.

42. Paragraph
A desert town painted roofs pale and planted trellises over streets. Summer electricity use dipped.
Best heading: Cool Surfaces and Shade Cut Heat
Rationale: Surface and shade changes reduce energy needs.

43. Paragraph
Parents joined school lunches monthly to test menus. Waste bins shrank as recipes were adjusted.
Best heading: Family Feedback Improves School Meals
Rationale: Participation informs better menus and less waste.

44. Paragraph
A start-up dried fruit using solar tunnels instead of diesel burners. Farmers kept more of the selling price.
Best heading: Solar Drying Lifts Farm Income
Rationale: New process raises earnings and cuts fuel.

45. Paragraph
A museum loaned replicas to classrooms so originals stayed safe. Students still handled artifacts during lessons.
Best heading: Replicas Bring History to Class
Rationale: Access without risking originals.

46. Paragraph
City planners linked bike lanes to bus hubs. Commutes shortened for riders who combined both modes.
Best heading: Connecting Bikes and Buses
Rationale: Network integration improves travel time.

47. Paragraph
An emergency center trained callers to describe scenes before symptoms. Dispatchers sent correct teams faster.
Best heading: Better Calls, Faster Response
Rationale: Call structure improves dispatch accuracy.

48. Paragraph
A theater used pay what you can matinees. Seats filled, and donations covered costs.
Best heading: Flexible Pricing Fills Seats
Rationale: Pricing model boosts attendance and revenue.

49. Paragraph
A research team published code with plain language notes. Other labs replicated findings more quickly.
Best heading: Clear Code Speeds Replication
Rationale: Documentation accelerates scientific reuse.

50. Paragraph
Gardeners swapped lawns for native shrubs that need little water. Birds and insects returned within a season.
Best heading: Native Plants Restore Backyard Life
Rationale: Plant choice improves biodiversity and saves water.

Review card you can copy

• What is the main idea in 7 to 10 words.
• Which sentence proves it.
• Why are examples or numbers not the core idea.
• What single heading captures the message best.

Practice in blocks of 10, track your time, and keep a log of headings you almost chose with a note on why they were wrong.