Implied Main Idea

Find the letter of the sentence that best expresses the implied main idea of each of the following paragraphs.
___ 1. 1A puddle of dark liquid under a car indicates a leak in the oil or transmission fluid. 2Another warning sign of car trouble is uneven wear on tire treads. 3If the outer edge of the tire tread wears out before the center, the tire is under-inflated. 4The most significant early warning signal, however, is less and less mileage per gallon. 5Lower fuel economy is caused by a variety of problems ranging from a clogged filter to ignition or carburetor trouble. 

• Several warning signs can indicate car problems.
• A.  A puddle of dark liquid under a car is a sign that a car has an oil or transmission- fluid leak.
• A.  The most significant warning signal of a car problem is getting lower mileage per gallon of gas.
• Various problems may cause a car’s fuel economy to decrease. 

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1We think of crime as having a clear victim who suffers at the hands of another person. 2Some crimes, however, don’t seem to have victims. 3These victimless crimes include prostitution, illicit drug use, and gambling. 4In this type of crime, there is usually no one who feels he or she has been harmed. 5These acts are called criminal because the community as a whole, or powerful groups within it, regard them as morally wrong. 6Those who hold different views of morality think that at least some of these behaviors should not be considered criminal. 7Still others argue that victimless crimes really do have victims. 8For example, compulsive gamblers rob their families of income. 9 Also, prostitutes spread A IDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, and drug users may resort to other crimes to support their habit. 

• Victimless activities such as prostitution and gambling should not be illegal.
• The community or a powerful part of it determines what activities are criminal. 
• There are varying views of victimless crimes.
• One view of victimless crimes is that they in fact do have victims. 

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1A round foundation in Africa that is two million years old reveals an appreciation like our own for balance and form. 2A flower arrangement found in an ancient burial site in Iraq suggests that flowers were a symbol of comfort. 3Ice Age sculptures emphasize human sexuality, showing the importance of fertility to early people. 4And cave paintings dating back to 20,000 B.C. prove that the artists were keen observers of nature. 

• Ancient artists were even more talented than artists of recent centuries. 
• Early human handiwork suggests that ancient peoples had values and sensitivities much like our own.
• An ancient flower arrangement at a burial site shows that flowers have been a symbol of comfort for centuries. 
• Humans were interested in producing art as far back as 20,000 B.C.

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1In the late 1980s, concern about the deadly effects of illegal drugs became a top national issue. 2Politicians loudly proclaimed a “war on drugs,” and TV news shows carried regular reports about the fatal toll of drugs, especially “crack” cocaine. 3These drugs do have a terrible effect on individuals and society, but the facts about them are somewhat different from their popular image. 4Each year, about two thousand people die from heroin overdoses, and about three thousand die from cocaine-related causes. 5At the same time, 50,000 people die every year because of alcohol—including thousands of innocent victims of drunk drivers. 6Additionally, a third of a million people die every year from cancer due to smoking cigarettes. 

• In the late 1980s, politicians proclaimed a “war on drugs.” 
• Our “war on drugs” ignores the two deadliest (though legal) drugs, alcohol and tobacco. 
• Thousands of people die each year from heroin overdoses and cocaine-related causes. 
• More people die each year from alcohol-related causes than from cocaine- related causes. 

1One reason tabloids publish untrue stories about celebrities, even though they know the celebrities might sue, is free advertising. 2If there is a lawsuit, it will make the news, and the tabloid gains the publicity. 3Furthermore, in a lawsuit the burden of proof is on the celebrity, not the paper. 4Also, such lawsuits are both expensive and time-consuming. 5A court delay, for example, can prevent a movie star from beginning work on a new project. 6And the chances of collecting a significant amount of damages are slim. 7Finally, tabloids publish untrue stories for the obvious reason: whether it is true or not, people love celebrity gossip—and it sells papers. 

• Tabloids publish untrue stories about celebrities. 
• Tabloids publish untrue stories about celebrities because celebrities will think twice about suing. 
• There are a few reasons why tabloids publish untrue stories about celebrities, even though the celebrities might sue. 
• Even if celebrities sue tabloids over untrue stories, they are unlikely to collect a lot of money for damages. 

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1In the past it often took years to force a car company to make even small, inexpensive changes. 2In the 1960s, consumer advocate Ralph Nader had to fight for several years before Chevrolet stopped making the unsafe Corvair. 3But in recent years, customer complaints and publicity have led to quick corrective actions. 4For example, the Consumers Union recently reported that all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) were unsafe when driven by untrained operators. 5Within eighteen months, ATV makers stopped making unstable three-wheeled models and set up an extensive customer training program. 6More recently, Consumer Reports magazine revealed safety problems in the Ford Bronco II. 7In response, Ford immediately announced a complete redesign and the decision to market the re-engineered vehicle under a new name. 

• Companies should respond more quickly to changes demanded by consumer advocates. 
• Ralph Nader had to fight for years in the 1960s before Chevrolet stopped making the unsafe Corvair. 
• Because of customer complaints and publicity, car manufacturers are correcting car problems more quickly than they once did. 
• If you want a product to be improved, take the responsibility of complaining to the company. 

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1During the 1989 Northern California earthquake, a half-mile section of elevated freeway in Oakland collapsed on itself. 2Since the earthquake happened right at the afternoon rush hour, early estimates were that more than two hundred people might have died, crushed in the rubble. 3But by sheer good luck, the earthquake came just before the scheduled start of a World Series baseball game between the Oakland “A’s” and the San Francisco Giants. 4Thousands of people had left work early to get home for the game. 5Others went to friends’ homes or bars near where they worked to watch the game, instead of driving straight home. 6Thus, few people were on the freeway when the quake hit, and the death toll was much lower than expected. 

• The 1989 Northern California earthquake came just before the scheduled start of a World Series game. 
• Because of a scheduled World Series game, the death toll from the 1989 Northern California earthquake was lower than expected. 
• Being on the freeway during an earthquake is more dangerous than being at home. 
• Before the 1989 Northern California earthquake, many people left work early to watch the World Series. 

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1How much water is stored as glacial ice? 2Estimates by the U.S. geological survey indicate that only slightly more than 2 percent of the world’s water is accounted for by glaciers. 3But this small figure may be misleading when the actual amounts of water are considered. 4The total volume of all valley glaciers is about 210,000 cubic kilometers. 5That volume is comparable to the combined volume of the world’s largest saltwater and freshwater lakes. 6Furthermore, 80 percent of the world’s ice and nearly two-thirds of the Earth’s fresh water are represented by Antarctica’s ice sheet, which covers an area almost one and one-half times that of the United States. 7If this ice melted, sea level would rise an estimated sixty to seventy meters, and the ocean would flood many densely populated coastal areas. 8The amount of the continent’s ice can be illustrated in another way. 9If Antarctica’s ice sheet were melted at a uniform rate, it would feed (1) the Mississippi River for more than 50,000 years, (2) all the rivers in the United States for about 17,000 years, (3) the Amazon River for approximately 5,000 years, or (4) all the rivers of the world for about 750 years. 

• If melted at a uniform rate, Antarctica’s ice sheet would feed the Mississippi River for 50,000 years. 
• The world’s water takes various forms—salt water, fresh water, and ice. 
• If Antarctica’s glacial ice were melted, the ocean would flood many heavily populated coastal areas.
  
• The quantity of glacial ice on Earth today is truly immense. 

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1Many companies sell tapes with subliminal messages, messages that are too faint to consciously hear. 2The companies promise that the tapes will “reprogram your unconscious mind for success and happiness.” 3Is there anything to these wild claims? 4Some researchers decided to find out. 5They randomly assigned eager university students to listen daily for five weeks to commercial subliminal tapes designed to improve either self-esteem or memory. 6On half the tapes, the researchers switched the labels. 7People given these tapes thought they were receiving statements supporting self-esteem, when they actually heard the memory enhancement tape. 8Or they got the memory tape but thought their self-esteem was being recharged. 9Were the tapes effective? 10Scores on both self-esteem and memory tests, taken before and after the five weeks, revealed no effects at all. 

• According to one study, subliminal tapes that are sold with promises of self- improvement have no effects at all. 
• University students were assigned to listen to commercial subliminal tapes daily for five weeks. 
• Companies claim that subliminal tapes can positively influence one’s success and happiness. 
• Many products do not live up to the claims made for them. 

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10. 1The University of California at Santa Cruz wanted undergraduates to conserve water by taking shorter showers. 2So they posted signs in the men’s shower rooms urging bathers to “(1) wet down, (2) turn water off, (3) soap up, (4) rinse off.” 3But only 6 percent of students complied with the posted request. 4A psychologist used conformity pressure to improve matters dramatically. 5He had an assistant wait in the shower room, poised to take a shower, until a student entered the room. 6Then the assistant showered, carefully following the instructions on the sign. 7Nearly half the students who encountered this energy-conscious assistant followed the recommended procedures. 8When there were two water-saving assistants, compliance by students increased to 67 percent. 

• A sign telling university students how to shower in order to conserve water was largely ignored. 
• All too often, signs asking for cooperation have little influence on citizens. 
• A good way of achieving the important goal of conserving water is to take shorter showers. 
• Conformity pressure did a much better job of getting students to conserve water than a sign alone did. 

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