Topic--Main-Idea-and-Supporting-Details.ppt

Topic,MainIdeaandSupportingDetails,ByLiuRong,Whatwillyoulearntoday?,1.whattopic,mainideaandsupportingdetailsare2.Howtodistinguishtopic,mainideaandsupportingdetails3.howtofindouttopicsentenceandimpliedmainidea4.Howtoidentifythepatternsofdetails,Whatistopic?,Topicissubjectofaparagraph,itmaybethetitleofanarticle,Itanswersthequestion:whoorwhatisthearticleorparagraphabout.,Whatismainidea?,Mainideaistheshortexplanationforthetopic,itistheauthorsviewpointonthesubject.,Whatissupportingdetails?,Supportingdetailsarethosetodetailthemainidea,Topicsareexpressedinwordsorphrases.Atitleofareadingpassagemaybeatopic.Anissuethatisdiscussedmaybeatopic.,Mainideaisalsocalledcontrollingidea,thecore,orthecentralfocusofapieceofwriting.,Notice!Onceyouhavedeterminedthetopicofapassage,youcanmoveastepfurthertogetthemainidea.Themainideaisthereasonorpurposefortheauthortowritethepassage.Itisnotthesubject;itistheauthorsviewpointonthesubject.Ifyouaskyourself“Whatistheauthortellingmeaboutthissubject?”or“Whatdoestheauhtorwantmetorememberaboutthissubject?”Youareaskingaboutthemainidea.,Somebooksreadinchildhoodaretrulyunforgettable.Someofthecharacters,theplaces,theadventuresexperiencedwithsomuchexcitementwhenoneisquiteyoung,stayinonesmindaslongasmemorylasts.SuchacharacterisLongJohnSilverinRobertLouisStevensonsTreasureIsland.Whocouldeverforgethimashewalkedalongthedecksofhisshipasquicklyonhiscrutchasothermenwithtwogoodlegs?AsforAlice,whocouldeverforgetherasshetalkedwiththecaterpillarandarguedwiththeill-temperedqueen?Sheremainsforeverasachildinmemory.ChildhoodmemoryofTomSawyerandthejoyTomandhispalshadremainclearinspitethepassageoftime.Whowouldgiveuptheseperfectchildhoodmemories?(129words),2minutes!,ReadingPractice:Readthefollowingpassageandtrytofindoutthetopic,themainideaanditssupportingdetails.,Thepopularideaofsnowisthatitconsistsoffrozenraindrops.Thisisnotthecase.Itistruethatsometimesraindropsfreezeintheirpassagefromthemothercloudtoearth.Suchfrozenraindropsarecalledsleetorhail.Butsnowissomethingelseagain.Itismadeupofwatervaporparticlesthathavebeentransformedintocrystalswithoutfirstpassingthroughtheliquidstate.Suchcrystalscanformonlywhenthedewpointisbelow0centigrade.(81words),TheTopicsentenceandMainIdea,Thetopiciswhattheparagraphabout.Thesentence,whichstatesthemainideaoftheparagraph,iscalledthetopicsentence.,Forexample:,Everyonehopesthatheorshecanhaveahealthybody.Beingyourowndoctoristhemostimportantthingyoumustdoduringyourdailylife.Youshouldtakeyoursymptomsseriously.Dontautomaticallydismissanythingas“hypochondria”,“oldage”or“mycrosstobear”.Thisisespeciallytrueifasymptombeginsinterferingwithyourabilitytowork,getaroundtoenjoylife.Foryears,MelindaDemerius,38,keptthinkinghersymptomsheadaches,shronicfatigue,hippainwerentseriousenoughtojustifyavisittothedoctor.Finally,shewenttothedoctorforherindividualsymptom,andshegotsinglesymptomdiagnoses.(105words,finishreadingwithinoneminute!),topic,Topicsentence,Honestyismostnecessaryinexperimenting.Theverypurposeofexperimentationistodiscovertruths,whichwillansweraquestion.Toooften,studentsdisregardedthisfactandtendtodependonotherpeoplefortheirinformation.Scientistshavenotmadetheirwonderfuldiscoveriesbydependingentirelyonwhatothershavesaid.Newthingsarealwayslikelytohappen.Thescientisthopeshistheoryiscorrect,buthedoesnotmakeitturnoutashewishes.Heobservescarefully,recordswhathefindsaccurately,andinthiswaycontributestotheprocessofknowledge.,Wherecanyoufindthetopicsentence?,Thefirstsentence,Akidismuchmorelikelytochooseabicyclebyitscolorbywhatmodelafriendthantothinkoutmorerelevantconsiderationslikeprice,durabilityorperformance.Moreominously,saysYaleeducationalpsychologistRobertJ.Sternbergsomeproblems,includingdruguse,mayoccurbecauseyoungpeoplehavenotlearnedtomeasureactionsagainstconsequences.Actually,Americankidscantapplyreasonablethoughttoeverydaysituations,Wherecanyoufindthetopicsentence?,Thelastsentence,Wherecanyoufindthetopicsentence?,Twoboysandgirls,studentsofTonasketHighSchool,hadbeen“cruising”foracouplehours,talkingandlaughing.Atasharpcurve,thepickupsomehowwentofftheroad,rolleddownthesteep,rockymountainsideandtwistedaroundapinetree.Allfouroccupantsnonewearingaseatbeltweretossedoutofthecab.Motor-vehicleinjuryisthegreatestthreattothelivesofadolescentsinAmerica.Duringthe1980s,over74000teenagerswerekilledinsuchaccidents,morethandiedfromalldiseasescombined.Onaverage,everytwoorthreeweekstheequivalentofaseniorclassatatypicalhighschooliswipedoutonourstreetsandhighways.,Inthemiddleoftheparagraph,Wherecanyoufindthetopicsentence?,Becausetheirreactiontimeandattentionspanareaffected,sleepypeoplemaybemorepronetomakingmistakesonthejob.ReportingtoCongressin1989,theDepartmentofTransportationcitedsurveyssuggestingthatonetotenpercentoftrafficaccidentsmaybesleep-related,andthatperhapsasmanyas20percentofalldriveshavefallenasleepatwheelatleastonce.Recentstudiedhavealsofoundthatsleep-deprivedpeopleareimpairedbysmallerquantitiesofalcoholthanrestedpeopleare.,Thefirstandlastsentences,TheTopicSentencesmaybe:,ThefirstsentenceThelastsentenceInthemiddleoftheparagraphThefirstandlastsentences,ReadingPractice:findoutthetopicsentence,ParagraphoneLikesome67millionotherAmericans,Stephenwatkinsonhasdiscoveredthatwalkingisgoodforhishealth.InastudydonebytheinstituteforAerobics.Researchersfoundthatpoorfitnessisasdangerousassmokingorhighcholesterol.Asensiblewalkingprogramcanmakedramaticimprovementsinphysicalandemotionalwell-being.Andthegreatesthealthgainsareenjoyedbycompletelysedentarypeoplewhobecomemoderatelyactivewhowalkedatabriskpaceforhalfanhouraday.Walkingisgoodforoneshealth.,Oneminutetofinish!,Passagetwo:Walkingprogramhelpstostrengthenyourbody.Anditcantoneallthemajormusclegroups,includingyourbackandstomach,andyourlegsandbuttocks.Itcanhelpachieveashaplierbody.Italsoimprovescirculationandmakesyourmusclefibersmoreflexible.Thismayhelpyouavoidsomeofthecommoninjuriesthatafflictweekendathletes:pulledmuscles,ligamentstrainsandtendonitis.,Passagethree:Ifpeoplestoptothinkabouttheplotsinchildrensstoried,theymaybesurprised.HanselandGretel,forexample,wereabandonedbytheirfatherandstepmotherandlefttowanderinadarkforest.Cinderellawastreatedlikeaslavebyherstepmotherandstepsisters.LittleRedRidingHoodwaseatedbyawildanimal,andthethreeblindmicehadtheirtailscutoffbythefarmerswife.,Withouttopicsentence!,Forthepassageswithouttopicsentences,howtofindouttheimpliedmainideas?,Passagethree:Ifpeoplestoptothinkabouttheplotsinchildrensstoried,theymaybesurprised.HanselandGretel,forexample,wereabandonedbytheirfatherandstepmotherandlefttowanderinadarkforest.Cinderellawastreatedlikeaslavebyherstepmotherandstepsisters.LittleRedRidingHoodwaseatedbyawildanimal,andthethreeblindmicehadtheirtailscutoffbythefarmerswife.,Supportingdetails,Severalstepstofindoutimpliedideas:,1.Findoutthetopic.Besureitisnottoonarroworbroad.2.Trytofigureoutwhattheauthorisgoingtosayaboutthetopic.3.recognizethesupportingdetailsoftheparagraphs4.Decidethemainideaaccordingtothesupportingdetails,Exercises:findingoutorconcludingthemainideasofthefollowingpassages.,Passage1onehundredyearsago,schoolteacherswereexpectedtoprovideavarietyofservicesinadditiontotheirteachingdutiesandtobehavethemselvesinanexemplary(servingadsanexample)manner.Theycaredforoillamps,tendedthefire,andsuppliestheirstudentswithsharppencils.Afteralongdayinheclassroom,theywereexpectedtospendsometimeeveryeveningreadingtheBible.Womenteacherscouldnotmarry,andbarbershopswereofflimitstomenteachers.Ofcourse,alcoholandtobaccowereforbidden.,Teachersperformeddomestictasks.TheteachingprofessiondemandstotaldedicationTeachersneededtheguidanceofreligionTeacherssetgoodexamplesbynotusingtobaccoandalcohol.,Passage2Untilthewarof1812,theunitedstateshadalwaysboughtitsmanufacturedgoods,especiallyitsfinecloth,fromEngland.DuringtheWar,howevertheUnitedStatescouldneithersellitsrawmaterialnorbuymanufacturedgoodinEuropeanmarkets.Therewasnothingtobutmanufactureitsowngoods.Bytheendofthewarof1812therewerenearly150,000menandwomenworkingincottonandwoolenmillsintheUnitedstated.Wehavenofiguresonthenumberofworkersemployedinthevariousstagesofironproduction,butweknowthattheironindustryhadgreatlyincreased.Besidestheclothandironworks,therewasagreatleatherindustry,includingshoefactories,saddleshopsandharness-makingshops,whileAmericanhatterswereabletosupplythemarketwithwoolhatsandfurcaps.,A.AsaresultiftheWarof1812,Americansbegantoproducebettersloththantheyhadpreviouslyobtainedfromabroad.B.TheWarof1812causedlargenumbersofAmericanstomovefromthefarmsintothefactories.C.AftertheWarof1812theUnitedStateswasfarlessdependentonEuropeforitsmanufacturedgoods.D.TheWarof1812causedatemporarychangeinthepatterniftradebetweentheUnitedStatesandEurope.,WithotherAsiancurrenciesinsharpdecline,itisbecomingevermoredifficultforChineseexports-animportantenginenotonlyofgrowth,butoftechnologytransfer-tocontinuecompetingoverseas.Exportsfelllastmonthforthefirsttimeintwoyears.Ifthistrendcontinues,Beijingsleaderswillfeelincreasingpressuretodevalue.That,inturn,couldtriggeranewroundofcompetitivedevaluationswithdireglobalresults.,Exportsareimportanttotechnologytransfer.ThesharpdeclineofotherAsiancurrenciesmadeChinadevalueitsowncurrency.IfChinaisforcedtodevalue,therecouldbeanewroundofterribleglobaldevaluations.WiththesharpdeclineofotherAsiancurrencies,Chineseexportsarebecomingmoredifficult.,Passage3,SupportingDetails,Poorgradesinschoolcanhavevariouscauses.Foronething,studentsmayhavemoneyproblems.Iftheyneedtoworklonghourstomakemoney,theywillhavelesstimetostudy.Anothercauseofpoorgradesmaybetherelationshipproblems.Astudentmaybenothappywithfamilyproblemsorthelackoffriends.Thatunhappinesscanalsoharmschoolwork.Afinalcauseofpoorgradesmaybestudyproblems.Somestudentshaveneverlearnedhowtotakegoodnotesinclass,orhowtostudyatextbook.Withoutsuchstudyskills,theirgradesarelikelytosuffer.,Explainthemainidea,Whatisthemainideaofthepassage?,Poorgradesinschoolcanhavevariouscauses,Whatarethethreecauses?,Moneyproblems.Relationshipproblemsandstudyproblems,Thepatternsofsupportingdetails,SpacerelationshipTimesequenceExampleorillustrationComparisonandcontrastCauseandeffectAdditionorlisting,Spacerelationship,Detailsmaybeorganizedaccordingtoaspacerelationship,theyusuallymoveinanorder,suchaslefttoright,uptodown,northtosouth,orviceversa.Wordslikeright,left,up,down,above,belowindicatepositionorlocation.,Timesequence,Detailsarepresentedintheorderinwhichtheytookplaceintime.Thispatternisusedfrequentlyindescribingthstepsinaprocessorreportinghistoricalevents,signalwordsorphrasessuchasatfirst,afterthat,finally,once,earlier,now,eventuallymayhelpyouidentifythepattern.,Exampleorillustration,Thispatternusesspecificcasestomovefromthegeneraltotheparticular.Themostfrequentlyusedsignalwordsorphrasesincludeforexample,forinstance,suchas,inthiscase,toillustrate,thatis,inotherwords.,Comparisonandcontrast,Detailsareorganizedtoemphasizethesimilaritiesordifferencesbetweentwoprmoreitems.Comparisonpointsoutsimilarities;contrastpointsoutdifferences.Thefollowingsignalwordsorphrasesaremostlyfrequentlyusedinthepattern:incomparison,like,similarly,likewise,tocompare,incontrast,ontheotherhand,however,nevertheless.,Thispatternisusedtoexplainwhyandhowsomethinghappened.Thepurposeistoshowhowtwoormoreeventsarerelated.Itstartswithacauseandgivesitseffects.Orviceversa,itmaygiveaneffectorresultandthentellwhatcausedit.Signalwordsorphrasesfrequentlyusedinthispatterninclude:because,fordueto,therefore,asaresult,consequently,thereason.,Causeandeffect,Additionorlisting,thispatternisoneofthesimplest.Supportingdetailsareorgani