Critical Reading Skill - Identify the Implied Main Idea

You may want to break the caffeine habit because it generates dependence. You may want to break it because you don't like the headache you get when you can't find a vending machine or when nobody at the office made coffee. Perhaps you want to set a good example for your children to avoid caffeine, or you simply may want to live as drug-free as possible.

What is the implied main idea of this paragraph?

• You may want to break the caffeine habit because it generates dependence.

• Caffeine is a dangerous drug.

• Caffeine generates dependence and causes headaches.

• There are several reasons you may want to break the caffeine habit.

Victims of sexual aggression, including sexual harassment, are more likely to be female than male. Rape affects many more women than men. More than one in five women report that they have been forced to do something of a sexual nature. Contrary to popular myth, rape is not a crime committed in dark alleys by sexually frustrated strangers. The vast majority of rapists, as many as three-quarters or more, are known to their victims. Almost half of college women who are victims of rape are raped by dates or romantic partners.

What is the implied main idea of this paragraph?

• Rape affects many more women than men with more than one in five women reporting that they have been forced to do something of a sexual nature.

• Victims of sexual aggression are more likely to be female than male, and contrary to popular myth, the vast majority of rapists are known to their victims.

• Contrary to popular myth, rape is not a crime committed in dark alleys by sexually frustrated strangers; in fact, the vast majority of rapists are known to their victims.

• Women, especially college women, need to be more selective about their dates and romantic partners because almost half of college women who are victims of rape are raped by those men.

Imagine trying to find a book in the Library of Congress in the United States without the aid of a card catalogue. It would be next to impossible. That is the problem people faced in their initial efforts to find information on the World Wide Web. That is what created the demand for another software programme: the search engine. In rapid succession, a number of programs with catchy names such as Yahoo!, Excite, and InfoSeek emerged to act as search engines for the cyberspace traveller. The user could simply type in a name, a word, or a phrase, and the search engine could scour the Net for relevant information and website addresses.

The implied main idea for the above paragraph is ___________________________________________________.

• A search engine is a necessity for anyone who wishes to use the Library of Congress.

• It is a software programme that allows a user to type in a name, a word, or a phrase, and the search engine would scour the Net for relevant information and website addresses.

• Yahoo!, Excite, and InfoSeek are three programmes that benefit the cyberspace traveller.

• A search engine is a software programme that allows a World Wide Web user to type in a name, a word, or a phrase, and it then scours the Net for relevant information and website addresses.

Does working improve or undermine a couple's relationship? The answer depends on a number of things. One is the nature of the wife's job. Long hours, frequent travel, or a demanding boss can spill over into family stress. A second factor is attitudes towards the gender roles, whether traditional, egalitarian, or transitional. Employed wives tend to be happier and healthier than full-time homemakers, particularly when their husbands approve of women working; married women are most depressed when they are at home full-time but would like to be working. Not surprisingly, marital satisfaction tends to be highest among working wives with high levels of education who work out of choice, enjoy their jobs, and receive help from their husbands; marital satisfaction tends to be lower among women who have low incomes from undesirable jobs. Time together is a problem for most working couples. The less time they spend together, the less likely they are to be satisfied with their marriage.

The implied main idea for the above paragraph is ___________________________________________________.

• The answer to whether working improves or undermines a couple's relationship depends on a number of things.

• The nature of a wife's job can undermine a couple's relationship.

• Employed wives tend to be happier and healthier than full-time homemakers.

• Wife should not work outside the home.

Experiencing failure is not easy. If we take a course and fail it, it hurts, though we may pretend for a moment that it doesn't, but even if you feel tempted to shrug it off publicly, don't make that mistake privately. It's important to take responsibility for and accept failure.

The implied main idea for the above paragraph is ___________________________________________________.

• If we take a course and fail it, it's important to take responsibility for and accept failure.

• Experiencing failure is not easy, but it's important to take responsibility for and accept failure.

• Everyone experiences failure, and it is important not to let failure get you down.

• If you experience failure, you should pretend it doesn't hurt and shrug it off publicly.

Written memos and reports document what was said and done and the reason for decisions. Carefully written memos and reports enable a company to use it earlier expertise without having to reinvent the wheel every time a new set of people tackles a recurring problem. Written documents also allow individuals and companies to protect themselves. If there is no written record, chaos and expensive lawsuits may result.

The implied main idea for the above paragraph is ___________________________________________________.

• Written records can help companies prevent lawsuits.

• Written documents also allow individuals and companies to protect themselves.

• Written memos and documents benefit companies and individuals in several ways.

• It is important for employees to learn how to write clear documents and memos.

Though steroids make muscles stronger, tendons and ligaments do not proportionately increase in strength. Therefore, a strong muscle contraction can tear a tendon and/or a ligament. This is made more serious because the steroids make the injury heal more slowly. When steroids increase muscle size, the extra muscle can grow around the bones and joints, causing them to break more easily.

What is the implied main idea of this paragraph?

• Steroids make muscles grow stronger, but they can cause injuries to happen more easily and to heal more slowly.

• Steroids make muscles, tendons and ligaments proportionately grow stronger.

• They cause slow-healing injuries.

• It is foolish to take steroids.

Virtual reality is also known as VR, artificial reality, or virtual environments. Virtual reality hardware includes headgear and gloves. The headgear has earphones and three-dimensional stereoscopic screens. The gloves have sensors that collect data about your hand movements. This interactive sensory equipment is normally used by internet users together with software to create an interactive virtual world. With this, internet users can immerse themselves in the world created.

What is the implied main idea in the above paragraph?

• Virtual reality is also known as VR, artificial reality, or virtual environments.

• Headgear and gloves are necessary for virtual reality.

• Coupled with software, this interactive sensory equipment lets internet users immerse themselves in an interactive virtual world.

• Virtual reality headgear has earphones and three-dimensional stereoscopic screens.

Verbal symbols are only the tip of the communication iceberg. On the basis of his experiments, psychologist, Albert Mehrabian concluded that the total impact of a message is 7 per cent verbal, 38 per cent vocal, and 55 per cent facial. Another specialist has suggested that no more than 30 to 35 per cent of the social meaning of a conversation or an interaction is carried by its words. Nonverbal messages abound, and we read a good deal into them without necessarily being aware of doing so.

What is the implied idea of the above paragraph?

• Verbal symbols are only the tip of the communication iceberg.

• Verbal symbols are only the tip of the communication iceberg, but on the basis of his experiments, psychologist, Albert Mehrabian concluded that the total impact of a message is 7 per cent verbal, 38 per cent vocal, and 55 per cent facial.

• Considerable research has been done on nonverbal communication.

• More nonverbal messages are used in conversations or interactions than verbal messages.

Every student wants to succeed in university. The same qualities that get your hired or promoted can also help you succeed in this area. Your instructor will be just impressed as your boss with good communication skills, thorough preparation, good manners, and adherence to commitments.

The implied main idea of the above paragraph is ______________________________________________________

• Every student wants to succeed in university.

• Good communication skills that get your hired or promoted can also help you succeed in university.

• Students should try to impress their instructors with good communication skills and good manners.

• Students should approach university like a job.