MAIN IDEAS:
IMPLIED MAIN IDEAS
TUTORIAL
This lesson consists of four parts:
1. WHAT IS AN "IMPLIED MAIN IDEA?" where you will learn how a main idea of a paragraph can be implied or unstated.
2. HOW TO CREATE AN IMPLIED MAIN IDEA will teach you what you should do when you find a paragraph that has no topic sentence.
3. The section entitled PRACTICE EXERCISES AND ANSWERS provides three exercises on different levels of difficulty, followed by correct answers.
4. REVIEW lets you see if you remember what you should for this lesson.
1. WHAT IS AN "IMPLIED MAIN IDEA?"
When you read a paragraph, you must look for its main idea.
Many paragraphs have topic sentences that express the main idea of the paragraph.
[see Main Ideas: Location of Topic Sentences tutorial].
Some paragraphs have no topic sentence.
This does not mean that there is no main idea in the paragraph.
When a paragraph has no topic sentence, the supporting details suggest the main idea.
The main idea is implied, or unstated, which means that you have to figure it out
by deciding what point the supporting details are making.
Here is an example of a paragraph with an implied main idea. Read the paragraph and try to figure out the main idea of the paragraph by piecing together the details of the paragraph. Then read the Explanation that follows.
(1) Area codes are numerical codes assigned by the telephone company to tell
from which part
of the country you are calling. (2) Area codes were first introduced in 1947.
(3) At that
time, there were 86 area codes. (4) Today there are over 150.
(5) California, the most
populous state in the country, has the most area codes. (6) An area code can serve almost
800 three-digit prefixes. (7) Each prefix has almost 10,000 possible telephone numbers.
Explanation
Every sentence in this paragraph is talking about "area codes," with each looking at a different aspect of area codes. The sentences are connected only by the fact that each deals with area codes. Thus, the implied main idea must reflect this fact. It might read: "There are various interesting facts about area codes."
2. HOW TO CREATE AN IMPLIED MAIN IDEA
When you see that no sentence is general enough to include all of the others -- that each sentence is too specific to cover all the others -- the paragraph's main idea is implied.
Your task is to figure out the author's main idea.
You can do so by asking two questions:
1. What is the topic, or subject, of the paragraph? In other words, who or what is the entire paragraph about?
2. What is the main point being made about the topic?
To find the answer to the first question, you must see what subject is constantly being referred to.
This is the topic of the paragraph.
[See the Main Ideas: Topics tutorial for more on this subject.]
Once you have found the topic, ask yourself,
"What is the author's main point about the topic?"
In other words, "What is the author saying about the topic?"
Your answer should not be too general nor too specific.
Try to make it broad enough to include all the supporting details in the paragraph,
and make sure you state it in a complete sentence.
This is the implied main idea of the paragraph.
Try it on the following paragraph. Read each sentence, then ask yourself what the topic of the paragraph is. Once you identify the topic, ask what the individual sentences are saying about the topic. Then read the Explanation that follows.
(1)College and university sports teams have nicknames. (2)Most are common, such as the Bears, Lions, and Tigers. (3)However, some are unusual. (4)For instance, the University of California at Irvine is nicknamed "Anteaters." (5)The University of Washburn's sports teams are called the "Ichabods." (6)Richland College sports teams are called "Thunderducks." (7)And perhaps the strangest of all belongs to the University of California at Santa Cruz. (8)Their nickname is the "Banana Slugs."
Explanation
What is the main idea of the paragraph? No one sentence expresses it. When this happens, you must consider the topic of the paragraph and then look at the details to try to piece together the "missing topic sentence."
This paragraph starts talking about college nicknames. But it does not focus on common nicknames. The signal word "however" at the beginning of Sentence 3 tells you that the paragraph is changing directions, and will focus on "Unusual college nicknames." This is the topic of the paragraph.
Sentences 4 - 8 are detail sentences that provide the following examples:
1. The University of California at Irvine is nicknamed "Anteaters."
2. The University of Washburn's sports teams are called the "Ichabods."
3. Richland College sports teams are called "Thunderducks."
4. The University of California at Santa Cruz team nickname is the "Banana Slugs."
Once you have identified the important details, ask yourself this question: "What point do all the details add up to?" In the above paragraph, the details all add up to the main idea that "Some college sports teams have unusual nicknames." This is the implied main idea of the paragraph.
A Note about paragraphs that begin with a Question
Sometimes, a paragraph will begin with a question.
The answer to that question is the main idea of the paragraph.
Often, that idea is expressed as a sentence.
Sometimes, however, it is not.
When this happens, you must formulate the answer to the question in your mind.
The answer will be the "missing topic sentence," or the implied main idea of the paragraph.
Here is an example. Read the paragraph, trying to answer the question that is asked in the first sentence of the paragrph. Then read the Explanation that follows.
(1)What happens to thoroughbred race horses when they are too old to race? (2) Essentially, there are two groups of "over-the-hill racer horses. (3)The first group are the unlucky ones. (4)They are sold to slaughter houses, where they become pet food or are killed and their meat becomes delicacies in Europe or Japan. (5)The second group are the lucky ones who find their way to an Equine Retirement Foundation ranch. (6)These ranches are run by people who love horses and who want to provide a final resting place for horses that gave their all as they raced. (7)The people running the ranches understand the stress and effort that each horse went through in training and in running races. (8)They reward the horses by letting them roam pastures, feeding them well, and letting them enjoy the companionship of other horses. (9)And the horses are cared for by people who love and understand these gentle yet competitive animals.
Explanation
This paragraph starts with a question. When looking for a paragraph's topic sentence, you should always look for the answer to the question. In this paragraph, no one sentence answers the question. When this happens, you have to piece together the details to come up with the "missing topic sentence."
First, look for the paragraph's topic. The topic of this paragraph is "What happens to thoroughbred race horses when they are too old to race." The details of the paragraph should provide you with the answer -- they tell you that there are two categories of such horses. Identify them and you have come up with the answer to the question. A good implied main idea might be: "Thoroughbred race horses that are too old to race are either sold for slaughter or enjoy life at an Equine Retirement Foundation ranch."
3. PRACTICE EXERCISES AND ANSWERS
The following exercises should help you to master the concept of "Implied Main Ideas." The three exercises increase in difficulty.
Implied Main Ideas: Exercise 1
DIRECTIONS: There are five paragraphs below. Read each paragraph and then choose what you think is the implied main idea. When you are finished, read the Answers and Explanatons that follow.
1. The biggest living thing in America is a tree. So is the oldest living thing. Both are found in California. The oldest living tree is a bristlecone pine tree. Nicknamed "Methuselah," it is 4,700 years old. "General Sherman" is the largest tree. It is a giant sequoia, standing 385 feet in height. It weighs over 1,400 tons, more than the combined weight of 360 elephants.
The implied main idea of this paragraph is:
a. In America, things that are old and large have nicknames.
b. The biggest and oldest living things in the world are in America.
c. Trees are both the biggest and oldest living things in America.
d. General Sherman probably named the largest tree in America.
2. Each year, Fortune magazine lists the world's largest corporations. Of the top 500 companies, 157 call the United States home. Five of the ten largest companies are from the United States. General Electric is ranked eighth. IBM is sixth. Ford is ranked fourth. Exxon is third. At the top of the list is General Motors.
The implied main idea of this paragraph is:
a. The United States has a significant number of the world's largest corporations.
b. More large corporations call the United States home than any other country.
c. The number of corporations calling the United States home is on the decline.
d. General Motors is always at the top of Fortune magazine's list of the largest corporations in the world.
3. Is there any one day of you year you dread? For some people, it is their birthday. After all, a birthday is a reminder that we are getting older. Others are anxious as April 15 approaches. This is the day that federal taxes are due. For others, the most feared day is Friday the 13th. On this day, wedding chapels are usually shut down. Toy stores sell out ouija boards. Travel is down, especially on airplanes. And people have been known to stay in their house the entire day rather than risk anything happening to them.
The implied main idea of this paragraph is:
a. The most feared day of the year is Friday the 13th.
b. Different people fear different days of the year.
c. Everyone dreads the date their birthday falls on.
d. Someone whose birthday falls on Friday the 13th is in real trouble.
4. Hummingbirds are the world's smallest birds. The Bee hummingbird of Cuba is only 2 inches long. This is just a little bigger than a penny. Hummingbirds live only in the western hemisphere. Most migrate north in the early spring and return south in early fall. Their life span is between nine and twelve years. The colorful birds are very curious. They are also aggressive toward each other. Perhaps their best known trait is their ability to fly backwards. They are the only bird in the world that can do this.
The implied main idea of this paragraph is:
a. There are no hummingbirds in the eastern hemisphere.
b. There are a number of interesting facts about the hummingbird.
c. Hummingbirds are migratory birds that are curious, aggressive, and can fly backwards.
d. Hummingbirds are the most fascinating birds in the world.
5. Local pizza parlors are found in most neighborhoods throughout the country. Because costs are low and their products are popular, most are money-making operations. Estimates are that local pizza parlors and small chains take in well over a billion dollars each year. Nationwide, three chains take in even more money. Little Caesar's takes in over 2.2 billion dollars in sales. Domino's takes in $2.4 billion. And the leader of the pack is Pizza Hut. Yearly, they take in $4.5 billion, accounting for 28% of all pizza sales in the country.
The implied main idea of this paragraph is:
a. No pizza chain will ever make as much money as Pizza Hut.
b. If you want to get wealthy, you should own a pizza parlor.
c. Everyone in the Unites States loves pizza.
d. Pizza is big business in the United States.
ANSWERS AND EXPLANATION
1. c (There are three major details that have to be pieced together to come up with the implied main idea. First, the paragraph is centered in America. Second, it is talking about the oldest living thing. Third, it is talking about the largest thing. The only choice that brings these elements together is "c: Trees are both the biggest and oldest living things in America.")
2. a (The topic of the paragraph is "The world's largest corporations." The point being made about the topic is that a lot of them are located in the U.S. Thus, the implied main idea is "a. The United States has a significant number of the world's largest corporations.")
3. b (The paragraph begins with a question. Answer the question and you have come up with the implied main idea. The answer is "b. Different people fear different days of the year.")
4. b (Each sentence in the paragraph focuses on a specific fact about hummingbirds. The implied main idea must reflect this.
The only choice that does this is "b. There are a number of interesting facts about the hummingbird." If you were tempted to answer "d. Hummingbirds are the most fascinating birds in the world," remember that your iplied main idea cannot betoo general. The statement mey be true, but it is not made in the paragraph.)
5. d (The paragraph is talking about local and national pizza establishments. Its focus is on the money that is generated by pizza establishments. The only clear choice to connect these ideas is "d. Pizza is big business in the United States.")
Implied Main Ideas: Exercise 2
DIRECTIONS: There are five paragraphs below. Read each paragraph and then write in you think is the implied main idea. Each implied main idea is started for you. When you are finished, read the Answers and Explanatons that follow.
1. Scientists who work with domestic turkeys are concerned. A new disease has been identified that is responsible for the deaths of sick and healthy turkeys. The disease is called "round heart syndrome." It expands the hearts of turkeys to four times normal size. This causes the turkey to die of cardiac arrest. It is not unusual for healthy turkeys to die, as well. When they see a turkey that has died, some turkeys become so panicked that they go into convulsions. This often leads to their dying of a heart attack, too.
"Scientists are worried about_____________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________."
2. Orthodontists usually straighten the teeth of children. Lately, they have found a growing clientele with adults. The major reason for this is that different kinds of braces are now available. Many adults do not like the "tin grin" that goes along with metal braces. They now have two choices not available before. One is clear braces. Made of plastic, they are much less obvious than metal braces. The second choice is lingual braces. These are attached to the back of the teeth, so they are out of sight. Thus, business people need no longer feel self-conscious about wearing braces.
"Because different kind of braces are available, _____________________________
____________________________________________________________________________."
3. Spring showers can result in hazardous road conditions. The National Safety Council has put together a list of suggestions for drivers. First, make sure your windshield wipers and tires are in good shape. Check the depth of the grooves in your tires by putting a penny into the grooves. If the top of Abraham Lincoln's head appears, you need new tires. The oil on the roadway mixes with water, causing slippery roads. Leave more distance between you and the car in front of you. Cars need as much as ten times more space to stop on wet roads. Next, don't drive through large puddles. The splashing water could affect your brakes and your vision. Above all, drive defensively in the rain. Be alert for any hazard, including other drivers who are not being cautious.
"The National Safety Council has suggestons for ____________________________
____________________________________________________________________________."
4. Until recently, scientists thought the first humans to reach North America migrated from Asia about 11,500 years ago. The first inhabitants were thought to have walked across a land bridge that is now a body of water called the Bering Strait. New evidence from archeological digs shows that the scientists may have been wrong. Digs from the past two decades have turned up artifacts from much earlier. A dig in a cave in New Mexico turned up steel tools, a human palm print in clay, and a spear imbedded in a bone. A scientific procedure that dates artifacts shows that these are about 30,000 years old. Other digs have turned up evidence that man may have been here even longer, perhaps as early as 45,000 years ago.
"Scientists who thought the first humans to reach North America migrated from Asia about 11,500 years ago now believe that ___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________."
5. Insurance companies are in business to make money. Some companies feel that it is safe to insure just about anything. For instance, Bruce Springsteen's voice is insured for $5.5 million. Actor Christopher Reeve was insured for $20 million during the fliming of "Superman." A radio station in Memphis, Tennessee, offered a prize of $1 million to anyone who found Elvis Presley alive. An insurance company guaranteed the prize. And Chicago's Second City compedy troupe took out an insurance policy should any member of the audience die laughing.
"Insurance companies have written _______________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________."
ANSWERS AND EXPLANATION
1. Possibilities: "Scientists are worried about the health of domestic turkeys."; "Scientists are worried about a new disease that is responsible for the deaths of sick and healthy turkeys.
(Since this sentence is already started for you, you simply have to figure out what scientists are worried about. Your answer must focus on turkeys, and on their health.)
2. Possibilities: "Because different kinds of braces are available, orthodontists are straightening the teeth of more adults.";
"Because different kinds of braces are available, more adults are having their teeth straightened."
(Your implied main idea must include the fact that adults are getting their teeth straightened more than ever."
3. Possibilities: "The National Safety Council has suggestons for people who drive during spring showers.";
"The National Safety Council has suggestons for driving when spring showers have caused hazardous road conditions."
(Your implied main idea must be broad enough to include the notion of "spring showers;" it should not be so specific that any of the suggestions is listed.)
4. Possibilities: "Scientists who thought the first humans to reach North America migrated from Asia about 11,500 years ago now believe that man may have been here long before that.";
"Scientists who thought the first humans to reach North America migrated from Asia about 11,500 years ago now believe that man may have been here 45,000 years ago."
(Your implied topic sentence must include the notion that scientists now believe their earlier estimate was wrong. It is not enough to just say this, however. You should go further by telling why they believe this.)
5. Possibilities: "Insurance companies have written some unique insurance policies.";
"Insurance companies have written some strange policies." (The examples in the paragraph are of policies written by insurance companies that are hard to believe. This must be reflected in your implied main idea; make sure that none of the examples are included in your sentence.)
Implied Main Ideas: Exercise 3
DIRECTIONS: There are five paragraphs below. Read each paragraph and then write what you think is the implied main idea in the space provided. When you are finished, read the Answers and Explanations that follow.
1. Kidney stones are calcium deposits that form in the kidney. These stones can be very painful and may have to be removed surgically. Calcium deposits have been linked to low fluid intake. For many people, kidney stones can be prevented. Doctors and nutritionists recommend that people drink at least eight glasses of non-alcoholic fluid per day. This should include drinking two glasses of fluids before going to bed. ____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
2. "BMI" is a formula for estimating the
amount of body fat people have. BMI stands for "body mass index." The formula
divides a person's weight by the square of the person's height. This gives a figure that
is designed to tell if a person is too skinny, about right, or too fat. While the formula
may seem complicated, it is actually easy. It is becoming an accepted way to determine the
amount of body fat a person has.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
3. Have you ever wonderer how automobile models
get their names? Some, such as "Edsel," are named after a person. Edsel Ford a
son of the founder of Ford Motors. A second way is to remind people of another car. Ford's
"Windstar" replaced its popular "Aerostar." Ford wanted people to be
reminded of the earlier minivan. A third way is to take a word from a foreign language.
"Mondeo" means "world" in Italian. The Mondeo is a car that was
designed in America and is built in the U.S. and Europe. Finally, some cars are named with
words that mean nothing but suggest something. "Acura" sounds like the word
accurate. It is meant to suggest that the car has been precisely engineered.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
4. Large companies can afford to spend millions of dollars to build up a following. This is not the case for small companies. Most small businesses depend on word of mouth to improve sales. This makes the company name especially important. It helps to have a name that people will remember. For instance, a successful California health spa that provides massages is called "Nice to be Kneaded." "You Gotta Have Art" is the name of a successful graphics arts firm. And "The Pickup Artist" is a company that doing a booming business in recycling.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
5. The term "killer bees," refers to a group of aggressive bees that escaped from an experiment in Brazil in 1957. They have migrated at a rate of 100-300 miles per year, and have arrived in the United States. There have been reports that killer bees are larger than the European honeybees we have grown accustomed to in the United States. In truth, they are a little smaller. Some people who have been stung have said that the killer bees have stung them repeatedly. They are incapable of stinging more than once, as they lose their stinger with the first sting. Some have claimed that the venom of the killer bee is stronger than other bees. Actually, it is the same strength as other honeybees. And some people have claimed that they were "hunted" by killer bees. They do not hunt. However, they are more easily provoked than other bees, and when they become agitated they sting in groups, often chasing their victim.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
ANSWERS AND EXPLANATION
1. Kidney stones may be prevented by drinking a large amount of non-alcoholic fluids.
(The key details that must be included in your implied main idea are "kidney stones," "prevention," and "a large amount of non-alcoholic fluids." The above sentence combines all of these details in a complete sentences.)
2. An easy formula can be used to determine the amount of body fat people have.
(This paragraph is about a formula known as "BMI." Your implied main idea must acknowledge this, and tell what the formula is designed to do. Naming the formula is not necessary, as this is done in the paragraph.)
3. Automobile models get their names in different ways.
(This paragraph begins with a question. The answer to the question's focus will be your implied main idea. The focus is not whether you have wondered how automobiles get their name. This is just the author's way of grabbing your attention. The focus is how automobile models get their names. Several examples of ways that automobiles get their names are given. You should not give each of these ways; rather, you should lump these examples together using a general phrase such as "different ways" or "various ways.")
4. A company name that people will remember is important to the success of a small business.
(The focus of this paragraph is on how small businesses can become successful. While there may be many ways, the paragraph mentions only one: the importance of a good company name. These are the only two details that should be incorporated into your implied main idea.)
5. There are a lot of myths about "killer bees."
(This paragraph is clearly about "killer bees." Your implied main idea must look at what is being said about killer bees. The ideas that are presented are all incorrect beliefs about killer bees.)
4. REVIEW
To review what you've learned in this tutorial, answer each of the following questions. Then check with the answers that follow:
1. TRUE OR FALSE? A paragraph without a topic sentence may have an implied main idea.
2. TRUE OR FALSE? A paragraph without a topic sentence does not have supporting details.
3. An implied main idea is also called
a. a general idea
b. an unstated main idea
c. a non-essential idea
4. To find an implied main idea of a paragraph, you should first look for the
a. topic of the paragraph
b. length of the paragraph
c. topic sentence of the paragraph
5. To find the implied main idea of a paragraph requires
a. a dictionary
b. some detective work
c. topic sentences
1. True
2. False
3. b
4. a
5. b