Main Idea Review

Multiple Choice

Choose the best definition for main idea.

• a summary of the supporting details

• the author's personal opinion

• a sentence that appears at the end of the passage

• the most important point or message the author wants to convey

Multiple Select

Which of the following questions are asking about the main idea? (There may be more than one correct answer)

• What is the primary purpose of the passage?

• What is the main idea of the passage?

• What is the structure of the second paragraph?

• The passage as a whole can best be characterized as which of the following?

Tip #1

Because main idea questions ask about the big picture, correct answers are more likely to be phrased in a more general or vague manner. Answer options that are super specific are less likely to apply to the whole passage.

*If it seems too specific, it probably is.

Multiple Choice

Find the main idea: European zoos of the late 19th and early 20th centuries incorporated the visual cultures of their animals’ native homes into ornate buildings - reflections of their nations’ colonial aspirations. The Berlin Zoo’s ostrich house resembled an Egyptian temple, with large columns flanking the entrance and scenes of ostrich hunts decorating the exterior. Berlin’s elephant enclosure was built in the spirit of a Hindu temple; the home for its giraffes adopted an Islamic architectural style. Zoos in Cologne, Lisbon, Antwerp, and Budapest, among others, created similar exhibits. These zoos were no home for subtlety: The animals they contained were exotic to most visitors; the buildings that did the containing reinforced the sensation.

• A) Buildings in the late 19th and early 20th European zoos emphasized the exotic origins of the animals they housed

• B) Many buildings in the late 19th and early 20th centuries European zoos were built to resemble Egyptian temples

• C) European zoos in the late 19th and early 20th centuries sought to evoke subtle emotions in their visitors

• D) During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, most of the animals in European zoos came from outside of Europe

Why?

The main idea essentially states that European zoo buildings looked something like buildings in the animals’ native countries. Even if you’re not 100% sure about the point, you can probably figure out that it’s talking about buildings. So, you can assume that the correct answer must have something to do with buildings. Only A and B mention buildings, so C and D can be eliminated immediately. Option B states that many European zoos had buildings that resembled Egyptian temples, whereas the passage only states that the Berlin zoo’s ostrich house resembled an Egyptian temple. Option A is consistent with both the first and the last sentences: the buildings “reinforced” the sensation that the animals were exotic. So that fits. Answer A is correct. 

Multiple Choice

The primary purpose of the paragraph is to....

• A. Argue that European zoos of the late 19th and early 20th centuries should have made more of an effort to accommodate their animals’ needs

• B. Describe specific ways in which late 19th and early 20th century European zoo buildings evoked the animals’ home countries

• C. Compare the buildings at the Berlin Zoo to zoo buildings in Cologne, Lisbon, Antwerp, and Budapest

• D. Illustrate the importance of housing zoo animals in buildings that recreate their native homes

Why?

The most effective way to approach this question is to think about how the paragraph is organized. The topic sentence presents an idea and the rest of the paragraph is devoted to specific examples that support that idea. That’s exactly what B says, which makes it the correct answer. 

Pro tip: Look at the first words of the answer choices. You will often be able to rule out some choices based on the verb. The last paragraph didn't seemed more informative than argumentative, so describe makes more sense than argue.

Multiple Choice

Find the main idea: That to the adolescent is the authentic poetic note and whoever is the first in his life to strike it, whether Tennyson, Keats, Swinburne, Housman or another, awakens a passion of imitation and an affectation which no subsequent refinement or sophistication of his taste can entirely destroy. In my own case it was Hardy in the summer of 1923; for more than a year I read no one else and I do not think that I was ever without one volume or another in my hands: I smuggled them into class, carried them about on Sunday walks, and took them up to the dormitory to read in the early morning, though they were far too unwieldy to be read in bed with comfort. Hardy was an expression of the contemporary scene. He was both my Keats and my Sandburg. Here was a writer whose emotions, if sometimes monotonous and sentimental in expression, would be deeper and more faithful than my own, and whose attachment to the earth would be more secure and observant.

• A) Hardy's poetry allowed the author to explore and understand self, emotion, the world, and how he is connected to it as an adolescent.

• B) Hardy's poetry is equivalent to Tennyson and Keats to some people.

• C) The author does not like the poetry of Tennyson, Keats, Swinburne, Housman and others as much as he likes the poetry of Hardy.

• D) Reading poetry as a child led to poor sleeping habits and bad morning routine for the author.

Why?

The main idea demonstrates that the author is consumed with the poetry of Hardy, and explains the reasons why the poetry of Hardy was so important to them as an adolescent. Option D states that the author suffered poor sleep and a bad routine, and since neither of those things were mentioned, that option can be removed. Option B and C both create connections for the reader that the author does not explore further, so both of these can also be excluded. Option A explores how thoroughly the author was enamored with the poetry of Hardy, then explains the reasons why Hardy's poetry is so captivating at the end of the paragraph, so that fits. Answer A is correct. 

Multiple Choice

The primary purpose of the paragraph is to....

• A. Describe what lead to his being an introvert.

• B. Explore the reasons for his early taste in poetry.

• C. Explain what led to his becoming a poet.

• D. Account for the unhappy adolescent's aesthetic sense.

Multiple Choice

Find the main idea: He's got a fast car, and I want a ticket to anywhere. Any place is better: even if we start with nothing, we'll have nothing to lose. I've been working at the convenience store and I've saved up some money. He says we won't have to drive too far, just across the border and into the city where we'll both get jobs. When we get there, he develops a problem with the bottle. I know if we can save a little money, we can move out of the shelter; instead, he says he can't work, and stays out with his friends. I don't have any plans, but he will likely keep driving in his fast car.

• A) The man has a car that is so fast it can save them from poverty and all of their problems.

• B) Hard work isn't enough if you don't dream big enough.

• C) The author dreamt of living in a big city, but when they arrived, they realized the fast life with their partner isn't all they thought it would be.

• D) The author should have saved up money for a little longer, they could have survived in the city.

Why?

The main idea demonstrates that the author has made some poor choices while in a bad relationship, and that they are in a situation that is different from what they anticipated. Options A and D both draw inferences that are not supported by the details in the paragraph, so both of these can be excluded. Option B could be considered true, but the author does not focus on their own work ethic, so that option can be excluded. The author focuses on the unnamed man for the entire paragraph, discussing how he catalyzed the move as well as his plans and his eventual failure. Answer C describes this understanding the author comes to; answer C is correct. 

Multiple Choice

The primary purpose of the paragraph is to....

• A. Tell a story from the author's life as a cautionary tale.

• B. Examine how difficult upward mobility can be.

• C. Detail why living in shelters does not really help people get out of poverty.

• D. Account for the impact of having a vehicle on a young adult's future.

Why?

The most effective way to approach this question is to think about what the whole paragraph is explaining. The paragraph tells a story from the author's life. Even though other answers like B might seem like they make sense, you have to look at the sequence of events in the paragraph, where we have a true beginning, middle, and end. Option A is supported by the structure of the paragraph.

Pro tip: Look at way writing is structured; if there is a sequence of events where one thing leads to another, it is possible the author is trying to help you understand a bigger life lesson through a personal anecdote.