What is main idea ?

1. What is main idea ? 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. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

2. Finding the main idea 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. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

3. 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. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

4. EXAMPLE !!!!!!!! • 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. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

5. Main Idea : In 1934, Wallace H. Carothers developed nylon, the firstsynthetic fiber. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

6. Exercise 1 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. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

7. 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. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

8. Exercise 3 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 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

9. Exercise 4 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? The physical complaints of neurotics . 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

10. 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. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

11. 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.

12. 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.