How to find the main idea of a paragraph.doc

Part II How to Identify the Main Idea of a Paragraph Finding the main idea is generally involved in a two-step process: First, identify the topic. Second, find the main point that the author is making about that topic. You then have the main idea.1. Stated Main Idea In a paragraph, the main idea is often, but not always, stated by the author in a sentence called the topic sentence. A topic sentence is a broad, general statement; the remaining sentences of the paragraph provide details to explain, develop, or support the topic sentence. The topic sentence can be located anywhere in the paragraph. However, there are several positions where it is most likely to be found.Topic sentence at the beginningA paragraph starting with a topic sentence can be represented by an upside-down triangle ( ).In this type of paragraph, the author first stateshis or her main point and then explain and develop that idea. This is the most commonlocation.Topic sentence in the middleA paragraph with a topic sentence in the middle can be represented with a diamond shape outline ( ). When the topic sentence appears somewhere within the paragraph, it is preceded by one or more introductory sentences that lead up to or introduce the main idea by arousing the readers interest or giving background for the main idea. (1) Sometimes an introductory sentence looks like a topic sentence, but is meant to grab your attention. Its soon followed by a sentence that changes direction, which will be explained in the rest of the paragraph. And this sentence becomes the real topic sentence. (2)When a paragraph starts with a question, the topic sentence can be found in the middle of a paragraph, because a question willnever be a topic sentence. But the answer to the question will be the topic sentence.Topic sentence at the endA paragraph with a topic sentence at the end can be represented by a regular triangle ( ).Whenthe topicsentence is located at the end of a paragraph,the previous sentences build up to the main idea. The topic sentenceoften serves either as a summary or a conclusion.(A summary will bring together all of the points made in the paragraph. A conclusion is where all of the points lead up to a final, important point.)Main idea in more than one sentenceAt times the main idea of a paragraph appears in two sentences, and an accurate statement of the main idea would have to include the information in both of the two sentences.Topic sentence that covers more than one paragraphSometimes a topic sentence does double duty it provides the main idea for more than one paragraph that follows or precedes it. This occurs when an author considers the development of the main idea to be too lengthy for one paragraph. He or she then breaks up the material into one or more added paragraphs to make it easier to read.2. Unstated/Implied Main Idea Sometimes paragraphs do not have a topic sentence (a stated main idea sentence). This type of paragraph can be represented by a rectangle ( )A paragraph without a stated topic sentence containsonly details that, taken together, suggest the main idea. The main idea then is implied but not directly stated.You must figure out the implied main idea by adding up the details and deciding what they mean togetheror what main point they all support or explain. To identify the implied main idea, you apply the two-step process mentioned at the beginning of this part by asking yourself the following two questions: Who or what is this paragraph about? (To identify the topic) What is the authors main point about the topic? Or what does the author really want you to understand about the topic? (To identify the main idea) Try the following paragraph: State the topic and main idea in the appropriate spaces. Captain Cook, the noted world explorer, encountered an unusual animal during his first visit to Australia. He pointed to it grazing in the distance and asked his native guide to identify it. The guide appeared confused and finally said, “Kang-a-roo” which Cook carefully noted in his word book. The missionaries who later came to Australia were anxious to see a kang-a-roo but their inquiries were met with puzzled looks. They soon discovered that the native who answered Cooks question was really saying, “I dont know what youre pointing at.” The name stuck and is still in use today. Topic: _ Main idea: _? This paragraph contains no topic sentence. You first ask, “Who or what is this paragraph about?” You may answer: “Kangaroo.” (Not Captain Cook!) This must be the topic.Then you ask, “What does the author really want you to understand about kangaroo?” You may answer: “The origin of kangaroos name.” This statement is too general and incomplete for a main idea and can merely be a topic. Consider the second question again: “What does the author really want you to understand about the origin of kangaroos name?” You can identify the main idea: The word “kangaroo” used as the name of an animal has a fascinating or unusual origin. 3. Activity: A Master Hands First Small DisplayDirections: For each of the following paragraphs, underline the topic sentence or write a statement that expresses the main idea.Paragraph 1 While she lived, the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo was known mainly as the wife of the famed muralist Diego Rivera. Yet in the decades since her death, Kahlo has become hugely famous in her own right and is probably now better known than her husband. In 1990, Kahlo became the first Mexican artist to break the one million mark at an auction. The vivid, self-portraits that Kahlo created in the thirties and forties continue to be widely sought after by collectors willing to pay high prices for her paintings. Although Kahlo is often described as a painter intent on exploring her own personal reality, many of her paintings include references to Mexicos political and social history. Its not surprising, then, that in 1985, the Mexican government publicly proclaimed her work a national treasure. Main idea: _Paragraph 2Many people begin their day by waiting for a bus or train. Then they may spend a few minutes waiting for an elevator to get to their offices. Moreover, the elevator may then stop at twenty floors, averaging a wait of twenty seconds each. After work, theres another wait for both an elevator and a bus or train. Most of us also spend a great deal of time waiting in the dentists office, in line for tickets or fast food, and on the road in barely moving traffic.Main idea: _Paragraph 3Learning another language may seem more challenge than its worth. The advantages to knowing another language, however, make it well worth the hard work. A foreign language, for instance, is a window into another culture. It expresses the way people in that society think and view the world. To know another language is thus to view life through a new lens. Knowing another language also provides access to different ways of dealing with problems common to us all. It is also an advantage in the business world, where multinational partners are becoming more common. Finally, understanding a different language enables you to look at your own culture from a fresh perspective.Main idea: _Paragraph 4Dogs make warm, friendly pets. But they can also be very troublesome. No one will deny the feeling of friendship when, after a long days work, a wet pink tongue of greeting licks a masters hand at the door. And watching television or reading a book, a man or woman can reach down over the side of the couch and feel a warm furry patch of life, hear the quiet contented breathing of a good friend. However, try to plan a trip without your faithful pet and your life is very difficult. Where will you leave him? Who will feed him? Further, leaving a cozy house in the midst of winter and facing a howling frozen wind so the dog may take his walk is no pleasure at all. I often wonder why people put up with such demands upon their time and energy.Main idea: _Paragraph 5All of mans history has been shaped by his search for food. Mans first occupation was that of hunter, and his first stone weapons were made for hunting. Man discovered that groups of men, banded together, could hunt animals more easily. As a consequence, men began to live together. Then, when men learned to grow plants for food, they settled in communities next to the fields. More people lived in the places where food grew the best. Progress has been greater in those parts of the world where there is more food to eat.Main idea: _Paragraph 6What happens to thoroughbred race horses when they are too old to race? Essentially, there are two groups of “over-the-hill” racer horses. The first group are the unlucky ones. They are sold to slaughter houses, where they become pet food or are killed and their meat becomes delicacies in Europe or Japan. The second group are the lucky ones who find their way to an Equine Retirement Foundation ranch. These ranches are run by people who love horses and who want to provide a final resting place for horses that gave their all as they raced. The people running the ranches understand the stress and effort that each horse went through in training and in running races. They reward the horses by letting them roam pastures, feeding them well, and letting them enjoy the companionship of other horses. And the horses are cared for by people who love and understand these gentle yet competitive animals.Main idea: _Paragraph 7If the wind becomes gusty after a period of calm, you should seek shelter. The sky needs careful watching, too. Gradual darkening and “boiling” clouds should quicken your pace. Lightening and thunder are common enough storm indicators, but few people realize that the brightness of the lightening is not nearly as important as the number of lightening flashes. The signs of an oncoming storm are many, and a persons life may depend on his ability to interpret them.Main idea: _Paragraph 8Secondly, the material we present in the magazine is very up to date, tailored for the purpose of appealing to and engaging our target readers. The up-datedness is reflected in language. You may come across words and phrases like “the cherry on top”, meaning something that is extraordinarily good or even better; “glass ceiling”, a metaphor referring to discrimination by race, gender and national origin in workplace. This kind of verbal novelty is less likely to be encountered in traditional textbooks for English language learning. The up-datedness is also reflected, more importantly, in content. As you can see, the first issue features such concerns with the gender role, environment, and fear. These are topical issues not only for western societies but for the whole world at large. While addressing big issues, the material also offers the cool and spicy. So, there are materials that give you food for thought; there are also materials that crack a good laugh. What they have in common is that they are up to date and come in the Spotlight, as the name of the magazine suggests. The very nature of the material, I would say, is what you may call “infotainment” quality information plus fun.Main idea: _Paragraph 9People communicate because they want to be understood by other people. There are many forms of comm