The main idea (or point) is that the man is a terrible pet owner. The main idea is vividly supported by the dog’s three specific reasons. Main idea 1 2 3

Here are four strategies that will help you find the main idea. Look for general versus specific ideas. The general statement will be the main idea. Find the topic first. Use key words to lead you to the main idea Make sure the main idea is about the WHOLE passage.

1. Find the topic first The topic is the general subject of a selection. It can often be expressed in one or more words. The main idea always contains the topic.

But there are many times when you are not given topics—with individual paragraphs in articles or textbooks for example. To find the topic of a selection when the topic is not given, ask this simple question: Who or what is the selection about? Many times, the topic will be the heading of the passage.

What is the paragraph about? 1 Symbols can have a tremendously powerful emotional impact upon us, instantly conveying many feelings and ideas. 2 Symbols like the cross, the Star of David, or the star-and-crescent immediately make us think of the Christian, Jewish, or Muslim religions. 3 This may be why burning an American flag often arouses more anger than does an attack on the values for which the flag actually stands. 4 Another symbol with terrible power is the swastika. 5 Until this century, the swastika was an innocent traditional symbol found in many cultures. 6 Then it became the symbol of Nazi terror. 7 Today, the very sight of a swastika can send chills down our spines.

General Specific

General Specific

General

Attending college can help you make friends. A college degree will help you get a higher paying job. A college degree helps you earn respect. College has many beneficial outcomes. College will improve the way you think.

First to note are list words, which tell you a list of items is to follow. The main idea in the paragraph about gossip was stated like this: The expression several important functions helps you zero in on your target: the main idea. However, it actually serves several important functions in the human community. 3. Use key words to help you find the main idea.

List Words Many other list-word expressions are possible—“four kinds of,” “some advantages of, ” “three reasons for,” and so on. If you see a sentence with a word group like the ones above, you’ve probably found the main idea.

Here are some common word groups that often announce a main idea: List Words Note that each of them contains a word that ends in s—a plural that suggests the supporting details will be a list of items.

What are the list words in each of the sentences below? 1. Researchers have identified two factors that play a significant role in our dreams. 2. Several steps can help you overcome the fear of speaking and become an effective speaker. 3. Three key differences exist between the House and the Senate. Each of these phrases tells you that a list of details will follow.

In addition to list words, addition words can alert you to the main idea. Addition words are generally used right before a supporting detail. Here is a list of words that often introduce major supporting details and help you discover the main idea: Addition Words When you see this type of clue, you can assume that the detail it introduces fits under the umbrella of a main idea.

As you read the paragraph below, look for the main idea. 4. Make sure the main idea is about the WHOLE passage Which sentence contains the main idea? Today, most people in the Western world use a fork to eat. But before the eighteenth century, using a fork was highly discouraged. Most people in Europe ate with their hands. People from the upper class used three fingers, while the commoners ate with five. When an inventor from Tuscany created a miniature pitchfork for eating, Europeans thought that it was a strange utensil. Men who used a fork were often ridiculed and considered feminine. Priests called out against the fork, claiming that only human hands were worthy to touch the food God had blessed them with. One wealthy noblewoman shocked clergymen by eating with a fork she designed herself. Over dinner, they accused her of being too excessive. When the woman died from the plague a few days later, the priests claimed her death was a punishment from the heavens. They warned others that using a fork could bring them the same fate.

Each year, as days grow shorter and nights grow colder, animals take action to survive the winter. Many animals fly, swim, or walk hundreds or thousands of miles to the south in search of a warm winter home. Earthworms travel too slowly to make a long journey to warmer regions. But they will die if they get trapped in the frozen ground. To survive a brutal winter, earthworms practice vertical migration. They move from dirt that ’ s close to the surface to dirt that ’ s deeper down. Each fall, the same instinct that sends geese flying south causes earthworms to start moving downward. As little barbs that stick out of their bodies poke into the dirt, the earthworms contract their muscles. This moves them downward to a point where they ’ re below the soil that will freeze in the winter. Only after winter passes and soil overhead warms up to 36 degrees or more do the earthworms tunnel back upward. As you read the paragraph below, look for the main idea. Which sentence contains the main idea?

A major study of firstborn children reveals that they tend to be super- achievers who strive very hard to make their families proud. 2 It was discovered that of the country’s first twenty-three astronauts, an amazing twenty-one were firstborn in their families. 3 Also, slightly more than half—52 percent—of our presidents were firstborn children. 4 Less positive is the fact that firstborns are under a lot of pressure to succeed, because their families often pin their hopes and dreams on them. 5 Also, as the eldest, they are expected to “set an example” for their younger brothers and sisters. 6 Furthermore, these firstborns sometimes have trouble with personal relationships because they learned to be very independent and to enjoy doing things on their own—since they were the only children in their families until their younger brothers and sisters were born. 7 The conclusion of the study is that being a firstborn child is a mixed blessing, having positive as well as some negative aspects.

1 In the late 1980s, concern about the deadly effects of illegal drugs became a top national issue. 2 Politicians loudly proclaimed a “war on drugs,” and TV news shows carried regular reports about the fatal toll of drugs, especially “crack” cocaine. 3 These drugs do have a terrible effect on individuals and society, but the facts about them are somewhat different from their popular image. 4 Each year, about two thousand people die from heroin overdoses, and about three thousand die from cocaine-related causes. 5 At the same time, 50,000 people die every year because of alcohol—including thousands of innocent victims of drunk drivers. 6 Additionally, a third of a million people die every year from cancer due to smoking cigarettes. A. In the late 1980s, politicians proclaimed a “war on drugs.” B. Our “war on drugs” ignores the two deadliest (though legal) drugs, alcohol and tobacco. C. Thousands of people die each year from heroin overdoses and cocaine-related causes. D. More people die each year from alcohol-related causes than from cocaine related causes.

The female black widow spider is not as terrible a killer as is generally believed. While the creature is certainly poisonous, she is also very shy and will bite humans only when she feels cornered. Also, the idea that the black widow always kills the male after mating is untrue. The male is often spared-if he remembers to tap out a special signal as he ventures onto his mate’s web. The vibrations on the web let her know he is one of her own kind, not an insect to be rushed at and killed. Topic? A.The female black widow spider B.Poisonous spiders C.The fate of the male black widow spider

The Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia, has conducted a wide-scale survey in eleven states to determine teenagers’ knowledge about AIDS. Half of the teens surveyed believe a person can get AIDS through giving blood. Almost three-quarters of teenagers think that AIDS can be gotten from a simple blood test. And half believe that the disease can be easily contracted from a public toilet. None of these beliefs is well-founded. A. According to one survey, many teens have a poor understanding of how people get AIDS. B. The Center for Disease Control conducted a survey to discover teens’ knowledge about AIDS. C. Teenagers have a poor understanding of sexually transmitted diseases.

According to scientists, cockroaches evolved about 300 million years ago, which means they saw the dinosaurs come and go and later watched people emerge on Earth. If you wonder how such little creatures have lasted so long, consider the fact that they can live in a refrigerator or in extreme heat. They can develop resistance to poisons faster than scientists can develop new ones. And they can live for two months on water alone or go for five months without water. Furthermore, they are quick to escape from danger. The takeoff time for a threatened cockroach has been timed at 54/1000th of a second. A.Cockroaches evolved about 300 million years ago. B. Cockroaches can live in a wide variety of temperatures and quickly develop resistance to poisons. C. Cockroaches have survived for millions of years because they can adapt to a wide variety of circumstances and react quickly to danger.

A.Some pesticides have been linked to cancer and other health problems B.Pesticides can be very harmful. C.Pesticides kill plants and animals other than the pests they are intended for. D.They can be very dangerous to both people and the environment.