Reading Chapter 4

Question 0

Why is it important to locate and understand the stated main idea of a paragraph?

Answer 0

You are looking for the author’s most important point not what you think is most important or interesting.

Question 1

What is the definition of the stated main idea of a paragraph

Answer 1

The sentence in a paragraph that contains both the topic and the author’s most important point about the topic

Question 2

What question should you ask yourself in order to locate the stated main idea of a paragraph?

Answer 2

“What is the most important point the author wants me to understand about the topic of the paragraph?

Question 3

Understanding main ideas will enable you to:

Answer 3

1. Comprehend more accurately and completely material you are reading.
2. Underline or highlight the most important material in your textbooks.
3. Take better notes
4. Organize information into outlines and summaries.
5. Locate and memorize more easily the important material for tests.
6. Make higher grades.

Question 4

Draw boxes and write the formula that shows the two essential elements of a main idea sentence.

Answer 4

[The topic] and [author’s most important point of topic] = [main idea sentence]

Question 5

List three places where stated main idea sentence may occur in a paragraph.

Answer 5

1. Beginning of the paragraph.
2. Within the paragraph.
3. The end of the paragraph.

Question 6

The five characteristics of a stated main idea sentence are:

Answer 6

1. Contain the topic of the paragraph.
2. Tell the author’s most important point about the topic.
3. Make complete sense by itself.
4. Be a general one that sums up the details in the paragraph.
5. Supported or explained by the rest of the sentences in the paragraph.

Question 7

List three common mistakes students make when locating the stated main idea sentence.

Answer 7

1. Trying to determine the main idea by looking only at the first and last sentence of a paragraph.
2. Choosing a sentence merely because it contains familiar or interesting information.
3. Selecting a question as the main idea. Stated main ideas are never written in the form of a question. However, the stated main idea is often a sentence that answers the question presented at the beginning of a paragraph.

Question 8

List the signal words or phrases that can give you a clue to locating a stated main idea.

Answer 8

It is obvious, to sum up, the point is, overall, generally speaking the fact is, in summary, and in reality.

Question 9

List the signal words or phrases that can give you a clue to locating a stated main idea that is presented as a conclusion.

Answer 9

In conclusion, it is clear that, consequently, therefore, finally, thus, as a result, as one can see, so for these reasons, the point I s this, and obviously then.