Identifying the Main Idea of a Paragraph or

Identifying the Main Idea of a Paragraph or Passage I can identify the main idea of a text

Bell Ringer Complete the ACT Math Bell Ringer

SSR Don’t forget to be working on your Vocab Journals! -No Talking -No Technology AT ALL -No Heads Down -Must be actively reading

Identifying the Main Idea All four of the ACT reading passages almost always have at least one, and many times two or three main idea questions.

Identifying the Main Idea ACT Main Idea questions are worded in the following ways: • The main purpose of the first paragraph is to… • The main function of the second paragraph is to… • One of the main ideas established by the passage is that… • Which of the following questions best addresses the main point of the passage? • The last sentence of the paragraph X provides supporting evidence for what main idea?

Identifying the Main Idea Pro tips: If you are asked about the main idea of the whole passage, that still doesn’t mean you have to read every word. -Look at thesis statement often found toward the end of the intro paragraph -Look at the conclusion, where authors often restate their main idea

Identifying the Main Idea Pro tips: If you are asked about the main idea of a certain paragraph, look at the first and last sentence.

Identifying the Main Idea Wrong answers on main idea questions are most often ones that are too broad or too narrow. Main idea has to get at the whole passage or paragraph and not just one part.

Identifying the Main Idea questions on the ACT often contain lots of distractors in the answer options. There are four types of distractors you need to look out for: -Deceptive Answers -Switches -Extremes -Choices that sound too nice

Distractors Distractor 1: Deceptive Answers Answer options that use actual words from the passage but distort their meanings. Ex: “Tom loves going to the movies with Mary. ” a. Tom and Mary love movies. b. Tom enjoys going to the movies with Mary as a companion. c. Tom fell in love with Mary at the movies. d. Tom and Mary enjoy love movies.

Distractors Distractor 2: Switches Answer options that take the truth but switch it around. Ex: If a question asks you how an author develops his/her ideas about a technological discovery: “Professor Thorne generally explains a technological discovery first in terms of its history and then in terms of the science upon which it was founded. ” “Professor Thorne generally explains a technological discovery first in terms of the science on which it was founded, and then in terms of its history. ” Switches present information included in the passage but backward.

Distractors Distractor 3: Extremes If an answer choice indicates that something is always so, invariably so, or never so, then it’s usually wrong. Other extreme words to be suspicious of: always, completely, absolutely, perfectly Ex: “Patients who are chronically depressed never enjoy their lives. ” -While the passage might talk about how depressed patients have a hard time enjoying their lives, the statement above interprets the passage in an extreme (and wrong) way.

Distractors Distractor 3: Answers that sound too nice Answer choices that appeal to you simply because they sound “nice, ” even though they have little to do with the question or the passage. Such distractors might draw on something you already know, or on the surface they might just seem reasonable and correct. Always double-check the passage to make sure it actually says this. Ex: • • Ultimately, the voting public knows its own best interest. Structure is important, but it should not be imposed in such a way as to stifle creativity. The ideal society is one that allows for individual difference, but at the same time creates a people united in interest. All people have a right to live and die with dignity.

Distractors Practice with distractors: With a partner, complete the practice with distractors sheet.

Distractors Go over distractor practice sheet as a class

Distractors Main idea individual practice: -Try the main idea individual practice on your own.