E33212 Applied English I Mathayomsuksa 6 Teacher: Ms.

Jaruwan Tipasri

Unit 1: Metal Detectors

Finding the Main Idea

You are on your way to your class, and your friend asks you about movie you saw last night. Your
friend doesn’t have time to hear about the whole two hours of the movie, but you can tell you friend in
a few sentences what the movie is about.

What’s it all about?

The answer to this question is the main idea. The Main idea refers to what a paragraph or an article
is about. “Main” means what is important, or key, the heart of the matter. “Idea” means the thought, the
thesis or the topic.

What is main idea?

The main idea is the most important idea in a paragraph or passage. It states the purpose and sets
the direction of the paragraph or passage.

The questions we use to find main idea

• The main idea of the passage is ……
• What is the main idea of the passage?
• What is the passage mainly about?
• What does the passage mainly discuss?
• Which of the following best summarizes the author’s main idea?
• With which is the passage mainly concerned?

How many types of main idea?

There are two types of main idea:
1. Stated main idea - the main idea is clearly written in the paragraph.
2. Implied main idea - The main idea is not clearly written and must be implied from clues
provided in the paragraph.

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 E33212 Applied English I Mathayomsuksa 6 Teacher: Ms.Jaruwan Tipasri

Where can we find main idea?

It is easy to identify a main idea that is directly expressed in the text.
1. Main ideas are often found at the beginning of paragraphs. The first sentence often explains the
subject being discussed in the passage.
 Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a new and serious disease. The disease, first
noticed in 2003, developed in China and then spread to North America and Europe. It usually begins
with a fever that is higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit. Other signs may include a headache, an
overall feeling of discomfort, and body aches. After two to seven days, SARS patients may develop
a dry cough, and they may have trouble breathing. SARS has led to death in some cases.

2. 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.
 Fourteen-year-old Laura Cantrell thought she was being a good friend when she lied for fifteen-
year-old Rebecca Anderson. Rebecca told Laura that her parents were trying to control her life
because they wouldn’t let her date Sam Larson, who was 27 years old. Rebecca begged Laura to
help her come up with a way to get out of the house so she could be with Sam one more time to say
goodbye. So, Laura covered for her by telling Rebecca’s parents that Rebecca was spending the
night with her. That night, Rebecca ran away from home. By the time the truth was discovered,
Rebecca and Sam had vanished without a trace. Laura felt shocked, horrified, and betrayed. Mr. and
Mrs. Anderson struggled with grief, guilt, and fear. A lie that seems harmless can have devastating
results.

3. Main Ideas are found in the middle of the paragraph:

 Ice cream reigns as a rich, delicious treat enjoyed by the majority of Americans. Many myths
exist about the origin of this concoction of sugar and ice. The three most common myths
include an explorer and two members of royalty. One popular legend has the famous explorer
Marco Polo bringing water ices from China to Italy. Another myth claims that Catherine de
Medici of Florence took her sorbet recipes with her when she married Henry II and became Queen
of France in 1533. The third most popular myth credits Charles I of England with a formula for
“frozen milk” he bought from a French chef in the 17th century.

4. Main Ideas can also be found broken up between the beginning and the end.
 Using art as a form of therapy calls for a level of concentration that allows a person to
relieve the pain of mental or emotional stress. Art therapy is not limited to painting or drawing
but can include dance, photography, music, writing, or any other form of art. The main goal is self-
expression. It allows a person to use visual means to explore feelings and emotions, to make the
unseen seen, to discover how the mind works. Art therapy does not require artistic ability, nor
does it demand high artistic products. Indeed, art therapy focuses on the process, not the product.
Art is therapy, art heals.

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 E33212 Applied English I Mathayomsuksa 6 Teacher: Ms.Jaruwan Tipasri

Unit 1 : Metal Detectors

Worksheet 1
Directions: Read each paragraph. Mentally determine its topic. Then identify its stated main
idea sentence by asking yourself, "What is the one most important point the author wants me
to understand about the topic?" The sentence that answers that question is the paragraph's stated
main Idea sentence.
1
1. Tsunamis, large ocean waves caused by underwater earthquakes, can be deadly and
destructive. 2For example, in December 2004, an underwater earthquake triggered a
massive tsunami throughout the Indian Ocean. 3The tsunami killed more than 200,000
people and caused billions of dollars of damage to the coasts of numerous Southeast Asian
countries.
1
2. Even today, the U.S. Supreme Court does not reflect the U.S. population. 2It was 1967
before the first black justice was appointed. 3It was 1981 before the first woman was
appointed to the Court. 4It was 1986 before the Court had its first justice of Italian descent.
5
No person of Hispanic or Asian descent has yet been appointed as a member of the Court.
1
3. In Africa, music is usually performed outdoors. 2There is spontaneous music making as
well as performances by social and music groups at ceremonies and feasts. 3There is no
musical notation (written music). 4African music tradition, like folklore and history, is
transmitted orally. 5Music is a social activity in which almost everyone participates. 6Clearly,
African music has several interesting characteristics.
1
4. High achievement motivation affects people's choice of occupation and job success.
2
(High achievement motivation refers to the psychological need for success In school,
sports, occupations, or other competitive situations. 3People with high achievement
motivation often go into occupations that provide rewards for individual achievement,
such as sales, engineering, architecture, or law. 4Moreover, people with high achievement
motivation tend to go into occupations that realistically match their abilities. 5For this
reason, they have little anxiety or fear of failure. 6And when success is achieved, they
enjoy the fruit of their labor more than the average person.
1
5. Democracy comes from the Greek word demos, which means “the people,” and kratia,
meaning “to rule.” 2The term democracy refers to a form of government in which the
people govern, either directly or through elected representatives. 3In other words, it is a set
of rules for determining who will exercise the authority of government.
1
6. Some believe that Americans have become merely consumers of material goods who no
longer care about helping others. 2This image is false, however. 3An estimated 90 million
Americans volunteer, and the monetary value of their volunteer time is estimated at $200

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 E33212 Applied English I Mathayomsuksa 6 Teacher: Ms.Jaruwan Tipasri

billion a year. 4Many of these volunteers serve on committees, baby-sit, sing in church
choirs, coach, and lead scout troops. 5More than 1.5 million of these volunteers provide
fire protection and ambulance service without pay.

1
7. Is it an ant, you wonder, or, a termite? 2Ants resemble termites, but they are quite different
and can be easily distinguished. 3In contrast to termites, ants are usually dark in color, are
hard bodied, and have constriction between the thorax and abdomen. 4Also, ants and
termites belong to different orders.
1
8 Adolescents tend to choose friends who are like them, and friends influence each other to
become even more alike. 2Friends are usually the same race and have similar status within
the peer group. 3Male adolescents tend to have many friends, but the friendships are rarely
close ones. 4Among teenage girls, friendships are fewer but much closer, and they provide
a great deal of emotional support.
1
9. An individual with the eating disorder bulimia first eats secretly, consuming an enormous,
amount of food in one sitting. 2The large quantity of food is clearly beyond simple hunger.
3
Then, after the eating binge comes the purge. 4In this phase, the person vomits or uses
laxatives to make sure the food does not stay in the body and produce weight gain. 5With
bulimia, there is always a distinct “binge and purge” pattern.

10. 1When you listen to a speech, can it help you to focus on the speaker’s strengths and
weaknesses? 2By closely observing and listening to people when they give speeches, you
can learn a great deal that will make you a more successful speaker. 3If the speaker is not
effective, try to determine why. 4If he or she is effective, try to pick out techniques you
can use in your own speeches. 5If the speaker is ineffective, avoid the errors the person
made.

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 E33212 Applied English I Mathayomsuksa 6 Teacher: Ms.Jaruwan Tipasri

Unit 1: Metal Detectors

Implied Main Idea 1

How Do You Understand an Implied Main Idea?

• First, identify the topic of the paragraph. What is this

paragraph about?
• Then read carefully all the supporting details. What does the
writer want you to know about the topic?
• How do the details connect? What larger idea do they
explain?
• Express this idea in your own words. The implied main idea
sentence must be broad enough to cover all the details in the
paragraph but must not be too narrow so that some details
are left out.

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 E33212 Applied English I Mathayomsuksa 6 Teacher: Ms.Jaruwan Tipasri

Unit 1 : Metal Detectors

Worksheet 2
Directions: The topic is given for each of these paragraphs. Remember that the topic must be
part of the main idea sentence. Read each paragraph. Then select the answer choice that
expresses its implied main idea.

1. Topic: leadership styles

Autocratic leaders are hands-on leaders who keep strict control over group
members and their activities. They ask few questions, make the decisions, give
orders, and are likely to use coercion to make others carry out their assignments.
Laissez-faire leaders are hands-off leaders who leave most of the decisions to the
group and tend not to get involved. Democratic leaders encourage group
participation in decision-making and problem solving. Their style falls between the
other two extremes.
A) Democratic leaders are more effective than autocratic leaders.
B) There are three leadership styles.
C) Autocratic leaders are strict, laissez-faire leaders are hands-off leaders, and democratic
leaders encourage group participation in decision-making.
D) Employees prefer to work with democratic leaders.

2. Topic: Americans waiting to marry (age at which Americans marry)

Are Americans today waiting longer to get married? According to 2003 Census
Bureau figures, the answer is yes. The Associated Press reports that one-third of men
are still single when they reach age 34 and that nearly one-quarter of women are still
single at that age. Compared with data for 1970, these figures are four times higher.
In 1970, the percent of never-married men aged 30-34 was 9 percent; the rate has
risen to 33 percent. The percent of never-married women increased from 6 percent
to 23 percent. The typical marriage age for men in 2003 was 27.1 years, up from
25.3 in 1970. The typical age for women rose from 20.8 to 23.2.
A) Are Americans today waiting longer to get married?
B) Men marry at a later age than women do.
C) Americans today are waiting longer to get married.
D) More men than women are still single at age 34.

3. Topic: results of a survey about teens and money

A recent survey revealed some shocking results. One in five teens does not know
that if you take out a loan, you must pay interest in addition to repaying the loan.

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 E33212 Applied English I Mathayomsuksa 6 Teacher: Ms.Jaruwan Tipasri

One teen in four has the mistaken notion that financial aid will take care of all their
college expenses. And one teen in three thinks that Social Security payments will
provide all the money they need when they retire.
A) A recent survey revealed some shocking results: one in five teens does not know that if
you take out a loan, you must pay interest in addition to repaying the loan.
B) Teenagers do not know anything about money matters.
C) A recent survey revealed some shocking results about how little understanding teens
have about money matters.
D) One teen in four has the mistaken notion that financial aid will take care of all their
college expenses. And one teen in three thinks that Social Security payments will
provide all the money they need when they retire.

4. Topic: fiction (definition of)

Novels and short stories are types of fiction. Drama is another example. Fairy
tales and fables are also fiction. It is a type of narrative writing that comes from the
imagination of the author rather than from history or fact.
A) There are many types of literature.
B) Novels, short stories, drama, fairy tales and fables are types of fiction.
C) Fiction is a type of narrative writing that comes from the imagination of the author
rather than from history or fact.
D) Novels and short stories are types of fiction.

5. Topic: how far it is to the Sun (distance to the sun)

How far is it to the Sun? It’s so far that it’s hard to comprehend. In actual distance,
it’s approximately 93 million miles. The distance changes slightly as the Earth
travels around the Sun. Suppose it were possible to take a jetliner there. Traveling at
a little over 550 mph, it would take nearly 20 years to get there. Even if you could
travel at 25,000 mph, it would take five months to reach the Sun.
A) How far is it to the Sun?
B) Its so far to the Sun that it’s hard to comprehend.
C) In actual distance, it's approximately 93 million miles to the Sun.
D) It takes a long time to get to the Sun, no matter how you travel.

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 E33212 Applied English I Mathayomsuksa 6 Teacher: Ms.Jaruwan Tipasri

Unit 1: Metal Detectors

Implied Main Idea 2

The Implied Main Idea is NOT clearly stated in any one sentence in a passage. It is only suggested
or inferred by the supporting details. The author doesn’t state it directly.

To figure out an implied main idea, you must look at the supporting details.

You can figure out the implied main idea here by nothing the details: the man’s coworkers are
complaining that he doesn’t leave coffee for anyone else. Also, he has such a caffeine high that he is
flying! The clearly implied idea is that he is drinking too much coffee.

This cartoon and the one in Ten Steps to Advanced Reading help us understand implied main idea.

Now look at the following paragraph:

The family introduces children to the physical world by providing opportunities to play and to explore
objects. The family also creates bonds for children with their parents and siblings that usually last a
lifetime and that serve as models for relationships in the wider world of neighborhood and school. In
addition, within the family children experience their first conflicts. Discipline by parents and arguments
with brothers and sisters provide children with important lessons in compliance and cooperation.
Finally, within the family children learn the language, skills, and social and moral values of their culture.

The main idea of this paragraph is not directly stated. To find it, ask two questions.
1. What is the paragraph about?
2. What is the main point the author is trying to make about the topic?
Looking at the paragraph again, you may realize that it is all about the family and children.

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 E33212 Applied English I Mathayomsuksa 6 Teacher: Ms.Jaruwan Tipasri

And what point is being made about the family and children? What point is supported by all the details
in the paragraph? All the details talk about importance of the family in the lives of children. The main
point, then, is that the family has a profound effect on the lives of children.

Hints for identifying the topic and implied main idea:

1. Look for repeated words
First of all, look for repeated words. In the passage just considered, the words “family” and
“children” appeared in almost every sentence.
2. Mark major supporting details. Major details are often signaled by addition words:
Also, look for addition words, which signal major details. Just as reminder, here are some
common addition words:
one for one thing in addition
first of all another last
second also finally
Look again at the passage, where this time the addition words have been marked:
As you see, the addition words “also” and “In addition” and “Finally” all serve to signal major
supporting details. And the major details help you figure out the main idea

Here is another passage to consider:

Because most students are unmarried, high schools and colleges serve as matchmaking
institutions. It is at school that many young people find their future spouses. Schools also
establish social networks. Some adults maintain friendships from high school and college; others
develop networks that benefit their careers. Another function of schools is to provide
employment. With 53 million students in grade and high schools, and another 15 million enrolled
in colleges, U.S. education is big business. Primary and secondary schools provide jobs for 2.9
million teachers, while another million work in colleges and universities. Schools also help
stabilize employment. To keep millions of young people in school is to keep them out of the labor
market, protecting the positions of older workers. Last of all, schools help stabilize society by
keeping these millions on the streets, where they might be marching and protecting in search of
unskilled jobs long lost to other nations.

In this passage, what are the repeated words throughout the passage? ____________________
The topic is: Schools and Colleges
And the point about schools and colleges is: Schools and colleges serve a number of functions
in our society.
To figure out the point, notice first the addition words in the passage. You’ll see the addition
words “also,” “Another,” “also” again, and “Last of all.” These addition words signal major

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 E33212 Applied English I Mathayomsuksa 6 Teacher: Ms.Jaruwan Tipasri

supporting details in the passage. And the point about school and colleges that is signaled by all
the details is that schools and colleges serve a number of functions in our society.

Implied Main Ideas in Longer Passages

At times you may need to figure out on your own an author’s unstated central idea (also called a
thesis) in a longer passage.
To find an implied central idea in a longer passage, ask the same questions that help you find
main ideas in paragraphs:
1. What is the passage about? (What is the topic?)
2. What is the point the author is making about that topic?
And when you think you know the central idea, you can test it by asking, “Does all or most of
the material in the passage support this idea?”

IN SUMMARY To summarize, sometimes authors do not suggest their main idea clearly in one
sentence. In such cases, you must figure out the main idea by considering the supporting details.
Ask yourself what is the topic of those details and then ask what point is being made about the
topic.
And when you think you know the answer, test yourself by asking, “Does all or most of the
material in the passage support this idea?”

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 E33212 Applied English I Mathayomsuksa 6 Teacher: Ms.Jaruwan Tipasri

Unit 1: Metal Detectors

Worksheet 3
Getting the Main Idea

The main idea of a paragraph is the most important idea the writer is trying
to state. Usually the main idea is condensed into a topic sentence. The topic
sentence is often the first or last sentence in a paragraph. Sometimes there is no
topic sentence. Then you need to think about the information in all of the
sentences and figure out what the main idea is. As for the other sentences in a
paragraph, they are used to elaborate on the topic sentence –they may be
examples, definitions, facts, arguments, or personal experiences. In this section,
42 passages are provided. You are required to read each of the passages and
decide which of the four statements is concerned with the main idea of the
passage.

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 E33212 Applied English I Mathayomsuksa 6 Teacher: Ms.Jaruwan Tipasri

Read the following passages and then choose the best answer to each question:

1. Someday scientist may actually perfect a machine that can translate one language into
another. Translation machines have been invented, and some are even used for certain tasks,
but improvements are needed. As an example of the problems of machine translation, consider
the word like. In one sentence, it may mean “similar to,” as in “He is like his father.” In another
sentence, it may mean “enjoy eating,” as in “They like ice cream.” The translating machine
once digested the sentence “Time flies like an arrow.” Out came the translation: a Russian
sentence that meant “Time flies like to eat arrows.”
The paragraph tells mainly ______________ .
( a ) how translation machines work
( b ) how translation machines are used for certain tasks
( c ) why the word like needs careful translation
( d ) why improvements are needed in translation machines

2. The Japanese are famous for their genius in producing small things. They have produced
small cars, radios, and trees. Japan now has a farmer who has worked for a decade to produce
tiny pigs called minipigs. This farmer’s desire to go from “maxi” to “mini” was stimulated by
the wide use of pigs in space control and medical research. The average adult hog weighs
four hundred pounds. The minipigs does not exceed sixty pounds and thus fits into capsules
for space experimentation. In hospital research, it is easier to feed, house, handle, and use on
a laboratory table. Each minipig costs one hundred dollars. American researchers are very
interested in using minipigs.

The paragraph tells mainly ______________ .

( a ) how to train minipigs
( b ) where minipigs are produced for science experiments
( c ) what American researchers think about minipigs
( d ) why the Japanese have produced minicars

3. Astrid Lindgren of Sweden started writing stories for children when she ran out of tales to
tell her own young daughter. The little girl asked her to make up a story about Pippi
Longstocking, a name she invented at the moment. From this beginning, Pippi – with red hair
and freckles – became famous in books translated around the world. Mrs. Lindgren lets Pippi
do anything she wants – go to bed as late as she likes, buy lots of candy, and have magical
powers. Pippi has become one of the most popular little characters in children’s books.
The paragraph tells mainly ______________ .
( a ) why Pippi Longstocking became so popular
( b ) how the characters Pippi Longstocking was invented and developed
( c ) why Astrid Lindgren named her character Pippi Longstocking
( d ) how Astrid Lindgren began telling stories to her children

4. What a remarkable creature is the electric eel! This snakelike fish can produce an electrical
charge that lasts only two thousandths of a second, but it can send out more than four hundred
of these per second, totaling six hundred volts. A car battery gives only twelve volts! Even if
the electric eel produced this amount of electricity for twenty minutes continuously, all it would
need would be a rest of five minutes to “recharge its batteries.” It’s a shame that someone can’t
harness its power. Can you just hear the service station attendant say, “Want your oil and eel
checked?”

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 E33212 Applied English I Mathayomsuksa 6 Teacher: Ms.Jaruwan Tipasri

The paragraph tells mainly ______________ .

( a ) why the eel’s power has never been harnessed
( b ) what the voltage of a car battery is
( c ) how long the electric eel’s charge lasts
( d ) why the electric eel is a remarkable creature

5. In Congress, when one legislator agrees to vote for a bill that another legislator wants and
then expects a similar favor in return, it is called “logrolling.” The term goes back to frontier
times in America. When a pioneer plan to build a log cabin, the neighbors would gather and
cut trees, roll the logs to the site of the building, and help to construct the house. In return, the
new home owner was expected to give the neighbors similar help. This practice, called
logrolling, eventually also became part of the political vocabulary of America.
The paragraph tells mainly ______________ .
( a ) why legislators do favors for each other
( b ) how “logrolling” entered the political vocabulary
( c ) how frontier people helped each other build log cabins
( d ) what pioneers did with logs

6. The library in Blue River, Oregon, is one of the most unusual libraries in the world. If you
want to borrow a book from this little one-room library, you don’t need a card. There’s no time
limit on borrowing, and everything is free. There’s not even a librarian around most of the time,
and the library door is never locked, day or night. The 7,500-book library is on the “honor
system.” It was begun several years ago by Mrs. Frances O’Brien, who decided that the four
little communities around Blue River needed a place to borrow books.
The paragraph tells mainly ______________ .
( a ) how Blue River supports its library
( b ) who Mrs. Frances O’Brien is
( c ) why the Blue River Public Library is unusual
( d ) where the Blue River Public Library is

7. Dr. Peter Mark Roget was an English doctor of the early 1800s whose name is remembered
for an accomplishment that had no relation to the practice of medicine. Roget decided that it
would be useful to group words according to ideas they expressed instead of the usual
alphabetical dictionary listing. The first edition of his list was published in 1852. Many editions
followed, and Dr. Roget never stopped adding to his list. To this day, Roget’s Thesaurus of
synonyms and antonyms is used by almost everyone interested in words in the English
language. New editions of this handy reference book appear constantly.
The paragraph tells mainly ______________ .
( a ) where Dr. Roget practiced medicine
( b ) when Dr. Peter Mark Roget lived
( c ) how Roget’s Thesaurus came into being
( d ) what words are contained in Roget’s book

8. Because of the treat of German submarines attacking Allied ships without in World War I,
a device was needed to detect a submarine before it struck. A French scientist named Longevin
developed a system known as sonar, which could locate objects submerged in water. Sound
beam hit a submarine or other object, it would bounce back as an echo. The direction of the
echo and the time it took to return would enable the sonar operator to determine exactly where
the submarine or other obstacle was.

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 E33212 Applied English I Mathayomsuksa 6 Teacher: Ms.Jaruwan Tipasri

The paragraph tells mainly ______________ .

( a ) how sonar was used to detect submarine in World War I
( b ) how sound beams travel through the water
( c ) how Allie ships were attacked in World War I
( d ) what underwater echoes tell people

9. The loveliness of carnations has helped to make them very popular flowers in today’s world.
Carnations were just as well known in the sixteenth century-not to look at but to eat! Candied
carnation was a dessert fit for royalty. It was made by dipping fresh carnations into egg white
and powdered sugar. Carnation jam and carnation relish were also treats, although the recipes
haven’t been handed down. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, carnations were added to
wines and other beverages to flavor the drinks. Flower on the dinner table were as common as
they are today, only then they were part of the meal!

The paragraph tells mainly ______________ .

( a ) what a carnation dessert is
( b ) how carnations were once used for foods
( c ) how carnations have been popular throughout history
( d ) why carnations were added to wines and other beverages

10. Unusual place names seem to be characteristic of Newfoundland, Canada. Many of these
names indicate difficult times, love and romance, or creatures of the sea, land, or sky. For
example, Bareneed, Famish, Gut, Empty Basket, Gripe Point, and Misery Point certainly
suggest hard times. Things apparently improved, however, when romance took over, for one
also discovers Sweet Bay, Heart’s Desire, Heart’s Delight, Cupids, Parsons Pond, and
Paradise – plus Tickle Cove, and Ha Ha Bay. Animals are also well represented with Lion’s
Den, Hare’s Ears Point, Bear’s Cove, Penguin Island, Pigeon Island – and, with a noble
display of fairness, Goose Bay and Gander Bay.

The paragraph tells mainly ______________ .

( a ) why most names in Newfoundland suggest romance
( b ) what unusual names are found in Newfoundland
( c ) what animals are represented in Newfoundland names
( d ) how many Newfoundland names suggest hard times

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 E33212 Applied English I Mathayomsuksa 6 Teacher: Ms.Jaruwan Tipasri

Unit 1: Metal Detectors

Implied Main Idea 3

Let us look at an example.

Birds that roost in communities keep warmer and save more energy than those who roost
separately. Another advantage to staying in flocks is that many birds are more likely to find
food and detect danger than a solitary bird–several pairs of eyes are better than one. In
addition, birds that eat on the ground with their flock can more easily escape attack because
at least one member of the flock will alert the others. Then, when all the birds fly upward to
escape together, they cause confusion, turning a predator’s interest away from any one
individual. Several small birds may even act together to “mob” a larger intruder and drive it
away.
What is the implied main idea?
Let's go through these questions.
Q. What is the topic?
A. Birds
Q. What does the writer want me to know about birds?
A. He or she wants me to understand why birds live in flocks.
Q. How do the details connect? What larger idea do they explain?
A. They explain the reasons why many birds live together in flocks.
Q. Can you express this in your own words?
A. There are several advantages for birds to stay together in flocks rather than live
separately.
Why don’t you read this paragraph and see if you can figure out the implied main idea?
Once the most popular and affordable form of public transportation in America, streetcars in
the early part of this century carried a record 11 billion passengers on 45,000 miles of track.
By 1960, however, trolley systems were virtually extinct. Companies backed by General
Motors, Firestone Tire and Rubber, Standard Oil, and others with a financial interest in cars
and buses had bought and closed up almost every trolley in America. Now, however, public
officials are concerned with finding cheaper, more convenient alternatives to subway systems.
San Diego was the first to construct a major new trolley line. As ridership soared, second and
third lines were added, with more planned for the future. Portland and Sacramento then started
theirs, and more than twenty other cities have proposed new trolley lines.
How did you do?
• The topic is trolley systems.
• The writer wants me to know that trolley systems in the United States used to be popular,
then fell out of favor, but now seem to be making a comeback.
• The implied main idea is this: Trolley systems are making a comeback throughout the
United States.

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Unit 1: Metal Detectors

Worksheet 4
Directions: Write out the implied main idea for each paragraph. Remember that a statement of
the main idea MUST be worded as a complete sentence.
Paragraph 1 Always warm up before attempting any strength training exercises. Failure to
warm up can cause injuries to cold muscles. Remember to use proper lifting procedures for
safety sake. In addition, to avoid harm, make sure that you have a spotter with you if you are
using free weights. You can also avoid injury by working within your limits and avoiding the
need to show off.
___________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2 One technique to manage stress is self-hypnosis. Another relaxation technique is
the “relaxation response.” In this technique, one learns how to quiet the body and mind. Still
another way to manage stress is progressive muscular relaxation. This is a procedure in which
muscles are contracted and relaxed systematically. Other techniques include yoga, quieting, and
diaphragmatic breathing.
___________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 3 People who are obese are likely to develop type II, non-insulin dependent
diabetes. In fact, 90% of obese people develop this disease. Seventy percent of obese people
will develop heart disease, and 33% will develop hypertension. Colon and breast cancers are
also linked to obesity.
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Paragraph 4 Eliminating cigarette and tobacco use can reduce one’s risk for cardiovascular
disease. Increasing physical activity is another lifestyle change that will reduce one’s chances of
developing heart disease. Another controllable risk factor for heart disease is blood cholesterol
level. If we change our eating habits, we can lower the level of cholesterol in the blood, thus
reducing our risk of disease. The last controllable risk factor is high blood pressure, a risk factor
than can be reduced through changes in lifestyle.
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Paragraph 5 If you have a weak background in mathematics, begin each course with the
mindset that you will take the course seriously whether or not the grade will count toward your
degree requirements. To make up for a weak background, try to find a teacher who enjoys
teaching learning support mathematics classes. If your background is weak, make a point to
attend every class and do all of the assigned homework regularly, even if that homework is not
collected by the instructor. Also, go to the Math Lab; students who use the math lab generally
perform better than students who don’t.
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