Name: Lina Marcela Montero Ordoñez
FINDING THE MAIN IDEA
Finding the main idea or theme of a written piece is one of the most important aspects of good
reading comprehension. It is, however, easy to confuse the main idea or theme with the subject.
Basically, the subject of a piece of writing is what that piece is generally about, plain and simple
— the facts and information. However, when you look past the facts and information to the
heart of what writers are trying to say, and why they are saying it, that’s the main idea or
theme. For example, the subject of this introduction is about distinguishing between a subject
and a main idea or theme; the main idea or theme is why it’s important to be able to recognize
that difference.
Read the following paragraphs and carefully determine what the main idea is for each. The best
way to approach these questions is to first read the paragraph and then, in your own words,
restate what you think the author is trying to say. From the five choices, select the one statement
that best supports the author’s point.
If you’re a fitness walker, there is no need for a commute to a health club. Your neighborhood can
be your health club. You don’t need a lot of fancy equipment to get a good workout either. All you
need is a well-designed pair of athletic shoes.
1. This paragraph best supports the statement that
a. fitness walking is a better form of exercise than weight lifting.
b. a membership in a health club is a poor investment.
c. walking outdoors provides a better workout than walking indoors.
d. fitness walking is a convenient and valuable form of exercise.
e. poorly designed athletic shoes can cause major foot injuries.
One New York publisher has estimated that 50,000 to 60,000 people in the United States want an
anthology that includes the complete works of William Shakespeare. And what accounts for this
renewed interest in Shakespeare? As scholars point out, the psychological insights he portrays in
both male and female characters are amazing even today.
102. This paragraph best supports the statement that
a. Shakespeare’s characters are more interesting than fictional characters today.
b. people today are interested in Shakespeare’s work because of the characters.
c. academic scholars are putting together an anthology of Shakespeare’s work.
d. New Yorkers have a renewed interested in the work of Shakespeare.
e. Shakespeare was a psychiatrist as well as a playwright.
Critical reading is a demanding process. To read critically, you must slow down your reading and,
with pencil in hand, perform specific operations on the text. Mark up the text with your reactions,
conclusions, and questions. When you read, become an active participant.
103. This paragraph best supports the statement that
a. critical reading is a slow, dull, but essential process.
b. the best critical reading happens at critical times in a person’s life.
c. readers should get in the habit of questioning the truth of what they read.
d. critical reading requires thoughtful and careful attention.
e. critical reading should take place at the same time each day
There are no effective boundaries when it comes to pollutants. Studies have shown that toxic
insecticides that have been banned in many countries are riding the wind from countries where
they remain legal. Compounds such as DDT and toxaphene have been found in remote places like
the Yukon and other Arctic regions.
104. This paragraph best supports the statement that
a. toxic insecticides such as DDT have not been banned throughout the world.
b. more pollutants find their way into polar climates than they do into warmer areas.
c. studies have proven that many countries have ignored their own anti-pollution laws.
d. DDT and toxaphene are the two most toxic insecticides in the world.
e. even a worldwide ban on toxic insecticides would not stop the spread of DDT pollution.
