Main Idea

IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA

Before you put on that skeleton costume and rove door-to-door pandering for candy, take a minute to reflect on this tradition. Halloween is believed to have come from an ancient Celtic festival dating back some 2,000 years. November 1st was the Celtic New Year and marked the end of summer to the Celts. They celebrated on its eve by wearing costumes made of animal skins and dancing around bon fires. Over the next two millennia, this primitive celebration grew to be the candy fueled costume ball that we know today.

• The origins of Halloween

• The New Celtic Year

• Primitive traditions

• Why the skeleton costume is the best for Halloween

There are many fun things to do at the beach. Swimming is one thing that can be done at the beach. Snorkeling is another thing that can be enjoyed. Playing beach volleyball can be a lot of fun. It is also fun to look for shells. Some people simply like to sunbathe.

What is the main idea?

• There are many fun things to do at the beach.

• It is also fun to look for shells.

• Some people simply like to sunbathe.

• Going to the beach to swim can be fun.

Native Americans dried strips of meat, pounded it into a paste, and then mixed it with fat. Sometimes they added berries and sugar. Then they pressed it into small cakes. They called these cakes pemmican. Pemmican didn't spoil, and it provided lots of energy for people traveling or going hunting. Today explorers still carry and eat this food.

What is the passage mostly about?

• who uses pemmican today

• what can be put into pemmican

• how pemmican was prepared by Native Americans.

• why people eat pemmican today

IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA

Being a clown isn't all fun and games. Rodeo clowns expose themselves to great danger every time they perform. When cowboys dismount or bulls buck them off, rodeo clowns jump in front of the bulls and motion wildly to get their attention. In this way rodeo clowns provide an alternate target, and in doing so protect the rider. Of course, this is a very dangerous thing to do. So you see, sometimes clowning around can be serious business.

• Sometimes clowns can mean serious bussiness.

• Rodeo clowns protect cowboys by putting themselves in danger.

• Cowboys and Rodeo Clowns are constantly in danger.

• A Rodeo bull's attention is easily caught by Rodeo clowns.

How does the main idea differ from supporting details?

• The main idea is a minor point, while supporting details are the central theme.

• The main idea is always stated explicitly, while supporting details are implied.

• The main idea is subjective, while supporting details are objective facts.

• The main idea is the central point or theme, while supporting details provide evidence or examples.

Match the following

• The most important point the writer is trying to make is DIRECTLY stated.

• Implicit Main Idea

• give special importance or prominence to (something) in speaking or writing

• emphasize

• Important to the highest degree

• Explicit Main Idea

• not stated directly in the text; implied

• opinion

• A personal judgement or belief about a person or thing

• essential

What is a main idea? 

• The purpose of the passage

• A minor detail

• It is the same as the topic

• the most important idea about a topic that a particular text or paragraph conveys

Can the main idea of a text change throughout the passage?

• Always

• No

• Yes

• Rarely

Why is it important to understand the main idea of a passage?

• To memorize every detail

• To grasp the overall message, identify key points, and summarize the content effectively.

• To skip important information

• To confuse the reader

Why do authors include a main idea in their writing?

• To confuse the readers with unnecessary details

• To hide the true meaning of the text

• To make the writing longer and more complex

• To provide a central focus or theme for the readers.