阅读理解训练Finding the Main Idea.doc

Finding the Main Idea: the authors message about the topic. Where are the main ideas found? It is easy to identify a main idea that is directly expressed in the text. Main ideas are often found at the beginning of paragraphs. The first sentence often explains the subject being discussed in the passage. Main ideas are also found in the concluding sentences of a paragraph. The main idea can be expressed as a summation of the information in the paragraph as well as a link to the information in the next paragraph. The main idea is not always clearly stated. It is more difficult to identify a main idea when it is inferred or implied. It can be implied through other words in the paragraph. An implied main idea can be found in several ways. Several sentences in a paragraph can imply the main idea by introducing facts about the topic before actually stating the topic. Implied ideas can be drawn from facts, reasons, or examples that give hints or suggestions concerning the main idea. These hints will be clues leading you to discover the main idea in the selected text. Try the passage below to see if you can pick out the main idea.To many parents, the infants crying may be mainly an irritation, especially if it continues for long periods. But crying serves important functions for the child as well as for the parents. For the child, crying helps improve lung capacity and the respiratory system. Perhaps more important, the cry serves as a signal of distress. When babies cry, they indicate that they are hungry or in pain, and this is important information for parents. Use the hints below to determine the correct main idea of this paragraph. After reading a paragraph ask, What point is the author making in this passage? Ask the following questions: Who - Does this passage discuss a person or group of people? When - Does the information contain a reference to time? Where - Does the text name a place? Why - Do you find a reason or explanation for something that happened? How - D