Main idea is the most important idea in
a paragraph. It tells the reader what the
paragraph will be about. It may be stated
directly or it maybe implied the most
important idea
Main idea tells what a story is mostly
about.
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The author can locate the main
idea in different places within a
paragraph. The main idea is usually
a sentence, and it is usually the first
sentence. The writer then uses the
rest of the paragraph to support the
main idea.
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How to find the main idea?
•
Read the title. Some paragraphs or passages will have a heading or title that
describes the main idea of the passage. If a title is "Popular Garden Flowers" then
the following paragraph will likely describe what kinds of flowers are common in
gardens.
•
Read the first sentence of the paragraph. Many paragraphs begin with a topic
sentence that outlines the main idea or point of the entire passage. The sentences
that follow the topic sentence provide supporting details.
•
Read the passage from beginning to end. If the main idea is not stated in the first
sentence, it may be stated in the last sentence. In the following passage, the main
idea is in the final sentence.
•
Read the full passage. If the first and last sentences do not identify the main idea,
use a highlighter while rereading the paragraph. Highlight words or ideas that
repeat themselves.
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• During World War I, a number of severe shortages alerted the
world’s scientists to the need for synthetic, or man-made
materials. Thus by 1934, a research team headed by Wallace
H.Carothers had developed the first synthetic fiber, called nylon.
As it turned out, the development of nylon had a surprisingly
profound effect on world affairs. True, it’s first use was in fashion,
and in 1939, the Dupont company began marketing sheer nylon
hose for women. Nylons were a spectacular hit and sold off the
shelves almost immediately. But they disappeared with the
coming of World War II, as nylon became essential to the war
effort. It was used in everything from parachutes and ropes, to
insulation and coat linings. Sadly Carothers never witnessed the
impact of his creation. He committed suicide two years before the
first pair of nylons ever went on sale.
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Main Idea
:
In 1934, Wallace H. Carothers developed
nylon, the first synthetic fiber.
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There is a common belief that while the dog is man’s best friend,
the coyote is his worst enemy. The bad reputation of the coyote traces
back to his fondness for small animals; he hunts at night and is
particularly destructive to sheep, young pigs, and poultry. Yet it is
sometimes wise to encourage coyotes. Provided valuable farm animals
are protected, the coyote will often free the property of other animals,
like rabbits, which are ruinous to crops and certain trees. He is especially
beneficial in keeping down the rodent population. Where coyotes have
been allowed to do their work without molestation, ranchers and fruit
growers have found them so valuable that they would no more shoot
them than they would shoot their dogs.
a. Under certain conditions the coyote is helpful to man.
b. The coyote is feared because of his fondness for small animals
c. Modern ranchers would no sooner shoot coyotes than they would shoot
dogs.
d. The coyote usually prefers rabbits and other rodents to sheep and poultry.
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Exercise 2
The attitudes of Americans toward gambling are amazingly
contradictory. You may find, for example, that horse racing is legal
in your state, but that you cannot legally play poker for money on
your front porch; bookies may be prosecuted by state law, but
they are supposed to purchase a federal license nonetheless; one
church condemns gambling, while another raises money by
sponsoring Bingo games. Gambling laws are inconsistent from
state to state or even from town to town and are very difficult to
enforce.
a. Americans have negative attitudes toward gambling.
b. Gambling laws are difficult to enforce
c. Gambling laws are inconsistent from community to community.
d. Churches do not have uniform ideas about gambling.
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No doubt about it, lobbying is a growth industry. Every
state has hundreds of public relations practitioners whose
specialty is representing their clients to legislative bodies and
government agencies. In North Dakota, hardly a populous
state, more than 300 people are registered as lobbyists in the
capital city of Bismarck. The number of registered lobbyists in
Washington, D.C., exceeds 10,000 today. In addition, there are
estimated 20,000 other people who have slipped through
registration requirements but who nonetheless ply the halls of
government to plead their clients’ interests. In one sense,
lobbyists are expediters. They know local traditions and
customs, and they know who is in a position to affect policy.
Lobbyists advise their clients, which include trade associations,
corporations, public interest groups and regulated utilities and
industries, on how to achieve their goals by working with
legislators and government regulators. Many lobbyists call
themselves “government relations specialists.”
What is the main idea of the paragraph above?
Lobbying is growth industry
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The physical complaints of neurotics – people who are overly
anxious, pessimistic, hostile, or tense were once largely ignored by
physician. Many doctors believed that the frequent complaint of
neurotic were exaggerations. However, new research shows that
neurotics are, fact, more likely to have physical problems. Specifically,
researchers found neurotics stand a grater chance of having five
particular ailments: arthritis, asthma, ulcers, headaches, and heart
disease. In addition, there is evidence that people who are pessimistic
in their teens and twenties are more likely to become ill or die in their
forties.
What is the main idea of the paragraph above?
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The physical complaints of neurotics .
The difference between main ideas
and topic sentences
• A topic sentence is a visual representation of the main idea
of the paragraph,
• the main idea is constructed through the supporting details
offered in the paragraph.
• a topic sentence is the sentence that contains the main
ideas
• main ideas is put in a topic sentence. Topic has a similar with
the main idea but put in a difference paragraph.
•
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Example…….
There is some evidence that colors affect you
physiologically. For example, when subjects are
exposed to red light, respiratory movements increase;
exposure to blue decreases respiratory movements.
Similarly, eye blinks increase in frequency when eyes
are exposed to red light and decrease when exposed to
blue. This seems consistent with the intuitive feelings
about blue being more soothing and red being more
arousing. After changing a school’s walls from orange
and white to blue, the blood pressure of the students
decreased while their academic performance
improved.
Here’s how you might visualize the paragraph on color:
Idea Map
Topic sentence :Colors affect people physiologically.
Main idea : some colors have a different effect physiologically
1.Supporting details :Respiratory movements increase
in red light and decrease in
blue light.
2.Supporting details :Eye blinks increase in red light
and decrease in blue light.
3.Supporting details a change in a school’s walls from
orange and white to blue decreased
students’ blood pressure and
improved academic performance.
4. Supporting details :Findings are consistent with the
idea that blue is soothing and red
is arousing.