Main Idea

A.    Main Idea

The main idea of a paragraph tells what the paragraph is about. The other sentences are details. Read the story and find the main idea.

How To Find the Stated Main Idea

1. Read the passage of text
2. Ask this question to yourself: "What is this passage about?"
3. In your own words, explain the answer in one short sentence.
4. Look for a sentence in the text that most closely fits with your summary.

Because the Internet exists in a world that is already regulated with policies and laws, government officials, upholders of current laws and the voice of the people, should be ultimately responsible for the regulation of the Internet. With this responsibility comes the enormous task of managing the protection of First Amendment rights along with honoring social and public interests across the world. That being said, the ultimate responsibility still rests in the hands of Internet users who vote – they, along with the officials elected to serve them, make up the global community. Voters have the ability to elect responsible individuals to the appropriate posts, and the elected officials have the responsibility to act on the will of the people..

Main idea: "…government officials…should be ultimately responsible for the regulation of the Internet." That is a stated main idea because it is directly written in the text, and it full encapsulates the passage's meaning as a whole.

Encapsulates=summarizes

Read the passage and determine the main idea.

Soal Ujian Nasional 2012 Paket A86 #27

I am used to travelling by air but only on one occasion I felt frightened. After taking off, we flew low over the city. It slowly went high to the sky. But suddenly it turned round and flew back to the airport. An air-hostess told us to keep calm and to get off the plane quietly as soon as it landed. After we landed, the police searched the plane carefully. Everybody on board was worried and we grew curious about what was happening. Later we learnt that there was a very important person on board. Earlier somebody told the police that there was a bomb on the plane. Fortunately, they didn't find a bomb and five hours later we were able to take off again.

What is the main idea of paragraph three?

A. The writer felt frightened.

B. The police searched the plane carefully.

C. Somebody said that there was a bomb on the plane.

D. There was a very important person on board.

Soal Ujian Nasional  2012 Paket A86 #32

Once a farmer owned a donkey and a lapdog. The donkey worked hard all day, hauling heavy loads. The lapdog stayed with his master all day, and lived in the house with him. He did not work, but was allowed to sit on the master's lap. The donkey grew jealous of the lapdog. Perhaps if I behave like the dog, like wag my tail and jump on the master, the master will start loving me as much as he does the dog. So the donkey decided to wait for his chance. One day, when he was left unattended, the donkey broke his halter and ran into the farmhouse kitchen. There the farmer sat at table. The donkey rushed up to him and began wagging his tail vigorously, and knocked off all the china from the table. He then started jumping around and frolicking like a little dog, and finally planked himself down on the farmer's lap. The shocked farmer yelled for help. The farmhands came running in and dragged the donkey off to his stable, and gave him a beating he did not forget for the rest of his life.

What is the main idea of paragraph 3?

A. The donkey wanted to be loved by its master.

B. The way the farmer treated the donkey.

C. The things done by the donkey to be loved.

D. The dog's habit is liked by the master.

Pembahasan: paragraf ketiga menceritkan tentang hal-hal yang dilakukan oleh donkey agar dicintai majikannya. Jawaban yang benar:  C.  

Let’s practice.

Children dream of the day when they will be grown up. They will no longer have bedtimes, bath-times, curfews, or any other restrictions. They believe that being an experienced adult will truly give them freedom. Then they grow up. They are saddled by bills, responsibilities, sleepiness, and an overwhelming urge for more vacations. Now they long for the days they could roam free all summer without a care in the world. Innocence has always battled with experience. Taking one view, author William Wordsworth believed that innocence was the highest state and could not see past the golden curls of youth, whereas author Charlotte Smith believed that maturity offered the most to humanity through wisdom.

Saddled=burdened

Overwhelming=awesome

Battled=fought=engaged

Curls=locks

Curfews=rules

What's the main idea? Innocence has always battled with experience.