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RECOGNIZING A MAIN IDEA3 Find and Use Key Words to Lead Youto the Main IdeaHere are some common words that often introducesupporting details and help you discover the main idea:Addition Wordsonefirst (of all)second(ly)third(ly)to begin withfor one thingotheranotheralsoin additionnextmoreoverfurtherfurthermorelast (of all)final(ly)

RECOGNIZING A MAIN IDEA3 Find and Use Key Words to Lead Youto the Main IdeaReread the paragraph about TV violence. As you do, pick out theaddition words that alert you to supporting details. Also note thelist words that suggest the main idea.Many people feel that violence on television is harmless entertainment. However,we now know that TV violence does affect people in negative ways. One study showedthat frequent TV watchers are more fearful and suspicious of others. They try to protectthemselves from the outside world with extra locks on the doors, alarm systems, guarddogs, and guns. In addition, that same study showed that heavy TV watchers are lessupset about real-life violence than non-TV watchers. It seems that the constant violencethey see on TV makes them less sensitive to the real thing. Another study, of a group ofchildren, found that TV violence increases aggressive behavior. Children who watchedviolent shows were more willing to hurt another child in games where they were givena choice between helping and hurting. They were also more likely to select toyweapons over other kinds of playthings.

RECOGNIZING A MAIN IDEA3 Find and Use Key Words to Lead Youto the Main IdeaEach new supporting detail is introduced by an addition word orwords. The list words negative ways suggest the supportingdetails will be a list of negative ways TV violence affects people.Many people feel that violence on television is harmless entertainment. However,we now know that TV violence does affect people in negative ways [ list words].[addition word ] One study showed that frequent TV watchers are more fearful andsuspicious of others. They try to protect themselves from the outside world with extralocks on the doors, alarm systems, guard dogs, and guns. [addition words ] Inaddition, that same study showed that heavy TV watchers are less upset about real-lifeviolence than non-TV watchers. It seems that the constant violence they see on TVmakes them less sensitive to the real thing. [addition word ] Another study, of agroup of children, found that TV violence increases aggressive behavior. Children whowatched violent shows were more willing to hurt another child in games where theywere given a choice between helping and hurting. They were also more likely to selecttoy weapons over other kinds of playthings.

LOCATIONS OF THE MAIN IDEAMain Idea at the BeginningMain IdeaSupporting DetailSupporting DetailSupporting DetailSupporting DetailorIntroductory DetailMain IdeaSupporting DetailSupporting DetailSupporting DetailIn textbooks, the main idea is often stated in the first orsecond sentence of the paragraph. The rest of theparagraph then supports the main idea with details.

LOCATIONS OF THE MAIN IDEAMain Idea at the BeginningAs you read the paragraph below, look for the main idea.For shy people, simply attending class can be stressful. Several strategies,though, can lessen the trauma of attending class for shy people. Shy studentsshould time their arrival to coincide with that of most other class members—abouttwo minutes before the class is scheduled to begin. If they arrive too early, theymay be seen sitting alone or, even worse, actually forced to talk with another earlyarrival. If they arrive late, all eyes will be upon them. Before heading to class, theshy student should dress in the least conspicuous manner possible—say, in theblue jeans, sweatshirt, and sneakers that 99.9 percent of their classmates wear.That way they won’t stand out from everyone else. They should take a seat nearthe back of the room. But they shouldn’t sit at the very back, since instructorssometimes make a point of calling on students there.Which sentence contains the main idea?

LOCATIONS OF THE MAIN IDEAMain Idea at the BeginningFor shy people, simply attending class can be stressful. Several strategies,though, can lessen the trauma of attending class for shy people. Shy studentsshould time their arrival to coincide with that of most other class members—abouttwo minutes before the class is scheduled to begin. If they arrive too early, theymay be seen sitting alone or, even worse, actually forced to talk with another earlyarrival. If they arrive late, all eyes will be upon them. Before heading to class, theshy student should dress in the least conspicuous manner possible—say, in theblue jeans, sweatshirt, and sneakers that 99.9 percent of their classmates wear.That way they won’t stand out from everyone else. They should take a seat nearthe back of the room. But they shouldn’t sit at the very back, since instructorssometimes make a point of calling on students there.ExplanationThe first sentence introduces the topic: shy people in class. The secondsentence contains the main idea. The remaining sentences support themain idea with examples of pain causing aggression.

LOCATIONS OF THE MAIN IDEAMain Idea in the MiddleIntroductory DetailIntroductory DetailMain IdeaSupporting DetailSupporting DetailSometimes the main idea appears in the middle of theparagraph.

LOCATIONS OF THE MAIN IDEAMain Idea in the MiddleAs you read the paragraph below, look for the main idea.A television ad for a new sports car showed scenes of beautiful open countrythat suggested freedom and adventure. The car never appeared in the ad at all. Anad for a hotel chain showed a romantic couple in bed together. They wereobviously on vacation and having a leisurely, romantic, sexy morning. As theseads suggest, advertisers often try to sell products and services by associating themwith positive images rather than by providing relevant details about the product orservice. An ad giving the car’s gas mileage, safety rating, or repair frequencywould be more important to a buyer, but it might not draw the viewer’s interest asmuch as beautiful scenery. Similarly, details on the hotel’s prices and servicewould be more informative than images of a glamorous vacation. But the romanticcouple gets people’s attention and associates the hotel in the viewers’ minds with agood time.Which sentence contains the main idea?

LOCATIONS OF THE MAIN IDEAMain Idea in the MiddleA television ad for a new sports car showed scenes of beautiful open countrythat suggested freedom and adventure. The car never appeared in the ad at all. Anad for a hotel chain showed a romantic couple in bed together. They wereobviously on vacation and having a leisurely, romantic, sexy morning. As theseads suggest, advertisers often try to sell products and services by associating themwith positive images rather than by providing relevant details about the product orservice. An ad giving the car’s gas mileage, safety rating, or repair frequencywould be more important to a buyer, but it might not draw the viewer’s interest asmuch as beautiful scenery. Similarly, details on the hotel’s prices and servicewould be more informative than images of a glamorous vacation. But the romanticcouple gets people’s attention and associates the hotel in the viewers’ minds with agood time.The first four sentences introduce the topic of advertisers and providespecific examples of the main idea. The fifth sentence contains the mainidea. The rest of the paragraph further develops the main idea.

LOCATIONS OF THE MAIN IDEAMain Idea at the etailDetailDetailMain IdeaSometimes all of the sentences in the paragraph will leadup to the main idea, which is presented at the end.

LOCATIONS OF THE MAIN IDEAMain Idea at the EndAs you read the paragraph below, look for the main idea.Only about 1 percent of insect species are destructive to crops and property.Nevertheless, this small group causes several billion dollars of damage each yearin the United States alone. Harmful insects include household pests, such astermites; crop and livestock pests, such as boll weevils; and hosts of diseasecausing organisms, such as mosquitoes infected with parasitic protozoa. Manyinsects, on the other hand, are beneficial to human society. Some insects pollinatefruit trees, flowers, and many field crops. Bees produce honey and beeswax,silkworms form cocoons from which silk is spun, and lac insects provide the rawmaterial for commercial shellac. Some kinds of insects are natural enemies ofdestructive insects. For example, the larvae of certain wasps feed on caterpillarsthat destroy plants. Clearly, insects are both harmful and beneficial to humansociety.Which sentence contains the main idea?

LOCATIONS OF THE MAIN IDEAMain Idea at the EndOnly about 1 percent of insect species are destructive to crops and property.Nevertheless, this small group causes several billion dollars of damage each yearin the United States alone. Harmful insects include household pests, such astermites; crop and livestock pests, such as boll weevils; and hosts of diseasecausing organisms, such as mosquitoes infected with parasitic protozoa. Manyinsects, on the other hand, are beneficial to human society. Some insects pollinatefruit trees, flowers, and many field crops. Bees produce honey and beeswax,silkworms form cocoons from which silk is spun, and lac insects provide the rawmaterial for commercial shellac. Some kinds of insects are natural enemies ofdestructive insects. For example, the larvae of certain wasps feed on caterpillarsthat destroy plants. Clearly, insects are both harmful and beneficial to humansociety.The first three sentences provide details about destructive insects. The nextfive sentences provide details about beneficial insects. The last sentence statesthe main idea, that insects are both harmful and beneficial.

LOCATIONS OF THE MAIN IDEAMain Idea at the Beginning and the EndSupportingDetailMain IdeaSupporting DetailSupporting DetailSupporting DetailMain IdeaSometimes an author will state the main ideanear the beginning of the paragraph and thenemphasize it by restating it later in the paragraph.

LOCATIONS OF THE MAIN IDEAMain Idea at the Beginning and the EndRead the paragraph and look for the two main idea sentences.An important result of medical advances is an increase in the number ofconditions thought to be of medical concern. In the not-to-distant past, birth anddeath usually occurred at home. Family members and friends were there or closeby. Now most people are born and die in a hospital, surrounded by bright lights andexpensive machines. People who were addicted to alcohol or drugs were onceconsidered sinful or lacking in willpower. Now they are considered “sick.”Problems that used to be accepted as part of life—baldness, wrinkles, small breasts,sleeplessness—are now deemed proper matters for medical attention. Somecriminologists have even defined antisocial behavior as a medical problem.Lawbreakers of all kinds, from the shoplifter to the mass murderer, may potentiallybe labeled “sick.” Because of current medical knowledge, what were once thoughtto be problems of life or of character are now considered medical issues.Which two sentences contain the main idea?

LOCATIONS OF THE MAIN IDEAMain Idea at the Beginning and the EndAn important result of medical advances is an increase in the number ofconditions thought to be of medical concern. In the not-to-distant past, birth anddeath usually occurred at home. Family members and friends were there or closeby. Now most people are born and die in a hospital, surrounded by bright lights andexpensive machines. People who were addicted to alcohol or drugs were onceconsidered sinful or lacking in willpower. Now they are considered “sick.”Problems that used to be accepted as part of life—baldness, wrinkles, small breasts,sleeplessness—are now deemed proper matters for medical attention. Somecriminologists have even defined antisocial behavior as a medical problem.Lawbreakers of all kinds, from the shoplifter to the mass murderer, may potentiallybe labeled “sick.” Because of current medical knowledge, what were once thoughtto be problems of life or of character are now considered medical issues.The main idea—because of medical advances, more problems areconsidered medical issues—is expressed in different words in the firstand last sentences.

MAIN IDEASThe Central Point Just as a paragraph may have a main idea, alonger selection may have a central point. The central point in a longer selection is alsoknown as a central idea or thesis. You can find a central point in the same wayyou find a main idea—by identifying the topicand then looking for the supporting material.

MAIN IDEASA Final ThoughtWhether we are readers, writers, listeners, or speakers, the “heart” of clearcommunication is the main idea, or point, and the support for the main idea.

CHAPTER REVIEWIn this chapter, you learned the following: Recognizing the main idea is the most important key to goodcomprehension. The main idea is a general “umbrella” idea underwhich fits all the specific supporting material of the passage. Three strategies that will help you find the main idea are to 1) lookfor general versus specific ideas; 2) use the topic (the general subjectof a selection) to lead you to the main idea; 3) use key words—verbal clues that lead you to the main idea. The main idea often appears at the beginning of a paragraph, thoughit may appear elsewhere in the paragraph.The next chapter—Chapter 3—will sharpen your understanding of thespecific details that authors use to support and develop their main ideas.

The topic is the general subject of a reading selection. Knowing the topic can help you find the writer’s main point about that topic. 2 Use the Topic to Lead You to the Main Idea RECOGNIZING A M