Central Message Review

Find the Main Idea of Each Paragraph

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To understand the main idea while reading, you must think of it as a short or
brief summary of what you are reading.

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The main idea covers the entire reading in a generalized manner, without
including any specifics.

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The specifics come later in your reading, and they add relevant details and
context to support the main idea.

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It is often difficult to reduce whole chapters or books to one single idea.
Hence, paragraphs are a more suitable way to learn how to identify the
main idea.

​supporting details

• These details are important to the text & support the main idea.

• ​ Supporting details ​describes or explain the main idea of the text

• The author use evidence such as details , facts, reasons, examples, statistics, and quotations, to develop the main idea.

Subject | Subject

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Multiple Choice

Tommy ran down the street chasing his dog. “Bobby! Bobby!” he yelled. He knew he should have checked the gate before letting Bobby into the back yard. His mother has told him a hundred times. How had he forgotten? If he had closed it, Bobby would still be in the back yard.

• Bobby ran away.

• Tommy forgot to make sure the gate was closed.

• Tommy was forgetful.

• Tommy’s mother was bossy.

Multiple Choice

During a baseball game, Tanner tried to tag a player leaving first base. When the umpire called the player out, Tanner immediately informed the umpire that he in fact did not tag the runner. Two weeks later, the very same umpire was at another one of Tanner’s baseball games. Tanner was playing short stop and tagged a runner as they approached third base. When the umpire called the player safe, Tanner didn’t say a word, but the umpire noticed the surprised look on Tanner’s face. “Did you tag the runner?” she asked Tanner. When Tanner told her that he did tag the runner, the umpire changed her decision and called the player out. The coaches and parents were furious, but the umpire stood by her decision.
What is the theme?

• You should cheat to win.
• Always work hard.
• It pays to be honest.
• Teamwork is best.