Grasping the Main Idea Hide Tools
The first thing you must be able to do to get at the main idea of a paragraph is to identify the topic - the subject of the
paragraph. Think of the paragraph as a wheel with the topic being the hub - the central core around which the whole wheel
(or paragraph) spins. (A) Your strategy for topic identification is simply to ask yourself the question, "What is this about?" Keep
asking yourself that question as you read a paragraph, until the answer to your question becomes clear.(B) Sometimes you can
spot the topic by looking for a word or two that repeat. Usually you can state the topic in a few words. (9 Let us try this topic-
finding strategy. (D) Reread the first paragraph on this page - the first paragraph under the heading Grasping the Main Idea
Ask yourself the question, "What is this paragraph about?" To answer, say to yourself in your mind, "The author keeps talking
about paragraphs and the way they are designed. This must be the topic - paragraph organization. Reread the second
paragraph of the same section. Ask yourself "What is this paragraph about?' Did you say to yourself, "This paragraph is about
different ways to organize a paragraph? That is the topic. Next, reread the third paragraph and see if you can find the topic of
the paragraph. How? Write the topic in the margin next to this paragraph. Remember, getting the main idea of a paragraph is
crucial to reading
When a paragraph contains two main ideas, it should be divided into two paragraphs. Choose the letter at the point where the
passage should be divided.

Read the two conclusions to cinderella. conclusion a: “this is not the true bride,” said he to the father; “have you no other daughters? ” then cinderella took her shoe off, and put on the golden slipper, and it fitted as if it had been made for her. and when he drew near the prince knew her, and said, “this is the right bride.” then he took cinderella on his horse and rode away. conclusion b: he obliged cinderella to sit down, and, putting the slipper to her little foot, he found it went on very easily, and fitted her as if it had been made of wax. the astonishment of her two sisters was great, but it was still greater when cinderella pulled out of her pocket the other slipper and put it on her foot. thereupon, in came her godmother, who, having touched cinderella's clothes with her wand, made them more magnificent than those she had worn before. and now her two sisters found her to be that beautiful lady they had seen at the ball. they threw themselves at her feet to beg pardon for all their ill treatment of her. cinderella took them up, and, as she embraced them, said that she forgave them with all her heart, and begged them to love her always. she was conducted to the young prince, dressed as she was. he thought her more charming than ever, and, a few days after, married her. cinderella, who was as good as she was beautiful, gave her two sisters a home in the palace, and that very same day married them to two great lords of the court. which conclusion to cinderella is stronger? why? conclusion a is stronger because it uses dialogue that readers understand the prince's feelings toward cinderella. conclusion b is stronger because it describes a surprising and positive resolution to the conflict between the characters. conclusion a is stronger because it contains an emotional moment in which cinderella learns something. conclusion b is stronger because it shows that all of the characters changed and got what they deserved.

In brave new world why does bernard dislike henry ford?

What is the claim in an argumentative text? the facts and data that support a statement of opinion in the text the statement that takes a position on an issue or controversy the explanation of how the evidence in the text supports a reason the quotations from primary sources that are used to validate a fact