© 2008 Townsend Press Fourth Edition John Langan Fourth Edition John Langan T EN S TEPS TO B UILDING C OLLEGE R EADING S KILLS

Chapter Five: Locations of Main Ideas THIS CHAPTER IN A NUTSHELL The main idea most often appears in the first sentence of a paragraph. The main idea may include such list words as various kinds and a number of. Supporting details may be introduced with such addition words as first of all, next, and finally. Sometimes the first sentence of two of a paragraph only acts as an introduction to the main idea. The main idea then appears in the second or third sentence. Often a word like but or however signals such a main idea. The main idea may also appear in the middle or at the end of a paragraph. And sometimes, for emphasis, the main idea may appear twice—at the beginning and at the end.

MAIN IDEA AT THE BEGINNING The main idea is often stated in the first or second sentence of the paragraph. The rest of the paragraph then supports the main idea with details. Supporting Detail Main Idea

MAIN IDEA AT THE BEGINNING Which sentence contains the main idea? Pain can cause aggression. When two rats in the same cage were given foot shocks, they attacked each other immediately. In addition, stronger shocks resulted in more violent aggression. Pairs of various other animals reacted similarly. A stubbed toe or a headache has been known to cause similar responses in humans. A parent with a bad headache, for instance, is more likely to shout at or even slap children. As you read the paragraph below, look for the general idea.

MAIN IDEA AT THE BEGINNING Which sentence contains the main idea? Pain can cause aggression. When two rats in the same cage were given foot shocks, they attacked each other immediately. In addition, stronger shocks resulted in more violent aggression. Pairs of various other animals reacted similarly. A stubbed toe or a headache has been known to cause similar responses in humans. A parent with a bad headache, for instance, is more likely to shout at or even slap children. As you read the paragraph below, look for the general idea. The first sentence contains the main idea. The following sentences support the main idea with examples of pain causing aggression.

MAIN IDEA AT THE BEGINNING Which sentence contains the main idea? College is supposed to be a place of discovery. But for some students, college can be a place of fear. In the classroom, for example, many students are afraid of appearing dumb in front of their classmates or professors. Such students often try to hide in class by sitting in the back of the room and avoiding eye contact with instructors. Fear prevents them from raising their hands, answering questions, or being part of class discussions. Fear also leads to problems outside the classroom. Worried their peers won’t like them, many college students smoke or drink heavily to blend in with the crowd. The main idea does not necessarily appear in the first sentence. See if you can identify the main idea in this paragraph.

MAIN IDEA AT THE BEGINNING Which sentence contains the main idea? College is supposed to be a place of discovery. But for some students, college can be a place of fear. In the classroom, for example, many students are afraid of appearing dumb in front of their classmates or professors. Such students often try to hide in class by sitting in the back of the room and avoiding eye contact with instructors. Fear prevents them from raising their hands, answering questions, or being part of class discussions. Fear also leads to problems outside the classroom. Worried their peers won’t like them, many college students smoke or drink heavily to blend in with the crowd. The main idea does not necessarily appear in the first sentence. See if you can identify the main idea in this paragraph. The first sentence introduces the topic (college). The second sentence contains the main idea (college can be a place of fear). That idea is supported by the rest of the paragraph.

When the first sentence or two serves as an introduction, a word like but or however often signals the main idea. MAIN IDEA AT THE BEGINNING College is supposed to be a place of discovery. But for some students, college can be a place of fear. In the classroom, for example, many students are afraid of appearing dumb in front of their classmates or professors. Such students often try to hide in class by sitting in the back of the room and avoiding eye contact with instructors. Fear prevents them from raising their hands, answering questions, or being part of class discussions. Fear also leads to problems outside the classroom. Worried their peers won’t like them, many college students smoke or drink heavily to blend in with the crowd.

MAIN IDEA IN THE MIDDLE Supporting Detail Main Idea Sometimes the main idea appears in the middle of the paragraph.

MAIN IDEA IN THE MIDDLE Today’s yo-yo is a harmless toy. Children spend hours perfecting their skill at making the wheel-like body descend the string and rebound smoothly into the hand. Yo-yos of the past, though, were used not as toys but as deadly weapons. The typical hunting yo-yo was made of a four- pound stone tied to a twenty-foot vine. From his hiding place in a tree, a hunter would hurl the heavy stone at his prey or enemy. Then he would quickly draw the weapon back up for a second blow. As you read the paragraph below, look for the general idea. Which sentence contains the main idea?

MAIN IDEA IN THE MIDDLE Today’s yo-yo is a harmless toy. Children spend hours perfecting their skill at making the wheel-like body descend the string and rebound smoothly into the hand. Yo-yos of the past, though, were used not as toys but as deadly weapons. The typical hunting yo-yo was made of a four- pound stone tied to a twenty-foot vine. From his hiding place in a tree, a hunter would hurl the heavy stone at his prey or enemy. Then he would quickly draw the weapon back up for a second blow. As you read the paragraph below, look for the general idea. Which sentence contains the main idea? The third sentence contains the main idea. The first two sentences introduce the topic of yo-yos. The last three sentences give supporting details for the main idea.

MAIN IDEA AT THE END Supporting Detail Main Idea Sometimes all of the sentences in the paragraph will lead up to the main idea, which is stated at the end.

MAIN IDEA AT THE END A woman’s son had just graduated from college. So when a florist’s truck pulled in front of her house, she was not surprised, thinking that a relative or friend was congratulating her son. However, she was surprised when she saw that the dozen red roses were addressed to her. The card read, “Thanks, Mom, for making this day possible. I could not have done it without your love and support.” In an unusual switch, the graduate had given his mother a graduation gift. As you read the paragraph below, look for the general idea. Which sentence contains the main idea?

MAIN IDEA AT THE END A woman’s son had just graduated from college. So when a florist’s truck pulled in front of her house, she was not surprised, thinking that a relative or friend was congratulating her son. However, she was surprised when she saw that the dozen red roses were addressed to her. The card read, “Thanks, Mom, for making this day possible. I could not have done it without your love and support.” In an unusual switch, the graduate had given his mother a graduation gift. As you read the paragraph below, look for the general idea. Which sentence contains the main idea? The last sentence contains the main idea. The supporting details are in the first five sentences.

MAIN IDEA AT THE BEGINNING AND AT THE END Supporting Detail Main Idea Sometimes an author will state the main idea at the beginning of the paragraph and then emphasize it by restating it later in the paragraph.

Dental research on rats may lead to a chocolate that’s good for you. In one study, researchers found that rats who ate chocolate candy high in fat and milk protein got 71 percent fewer cavities than those who ate sugar or fudge alone. In a follow-up study, rats were fed chocolate candy that had an even greater amount of the milk protein. The rats then got almost no cavities at all. Because of this research, a chocolate candy healthy for your teeth may become available someday. As you read the paragraph below, look for the two main idea sentences. Which two sentences state the main idea? MAIN IDEA AT THE BEGINNING AND AT THE END

Dental research on rats may lead to a chocolate that’s good for you. In one study, researchers found that rats who ate chocolate candy high in fat and milk protein got 71 percent fewer cavities than those who ate sugar or fudge alone. In a follow-up study, rats were fed chocolate candy that had an even greater amount of the milk protein. The rats then got almost no cavities at all. Because of this research, a chocolate candy healthy for your teeth may become available someday. As you read the paragraph below, look for the two main idea sentences. Which two sentences state the main idea? MAIN IDEA AT THE BEGINNING AND AT THE END The main idea in the first sentence is restated in other words in the final sentence.

CHAPTER REVIEW In this chapter, you learned the following: The first place to check for the main idea is the first sentence. But the main idea can appear anywhere within a passage. At times the first sentence or two serve as an introduction to the main idea, which then appears in the second or third sentence. In such cases, a word like but or however often signals the main idea. At times the main idea may appear both at the beginning and the end of a passage. The next two chapters, “Relationships I” and “Relationships II,” explain common connections between ideas and the ways authors organize supporting details.