Page 5 - e-Modul Bhs INggris MPK

Chapter 2.

Topic 1. Understanding Main ideas and reading passage structure

1. Learning Outcomes

After learning the topic:
1. The students are able to identify the topic of paragraphs in a reading
passage
2. The students are able to identify the main ideas of paragraphs in a
reading passage

2. Material

Identifying Topic And Main Idea

a. Identifying topic

Reading is a complex process, especially when you are reading
something that is not in your native language. The first step to becoming a
successful reader is identifying the topic of the passage. The next step is
identifying the main idea. In this chapter you will learn how to identify both the
topic and the main idea of reading passage. Let’s start with the first step:
identifying the topic.
The subject of a movie or a conversation is called the topic. The
subject of most writing is also called a topic. The topic answers the question,
“What or who is it about?” the topic is usually just a word or a short phrase.

b. Identfying Main idea

After you identify the topic then you have to look for the main idea. The
main idea is the most important idea of a paragraph. A main idea is often stated
in the first sentence of a paragraph. The main idea is what the paragraph is all
about!
Take a look at the following short paragraph and see its main idea!

Austin likes to help his dad every week with the lawn. He helps
pick up any twigs that may be in the way so his dad doesn't run
over them with the mower. Austin also helps rake the grass into
small piles when his dad is done mowing. Sometimes his dad lets
him ride the mower all by himself. This is Austin's favorite part of
helping.

The main idea is “Austin likes to help his dad every week with the lawn.”
The other sentences support the main idea by telling you what Austin does to
help his dad every week.

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