READING SKILL 1: ANSWER THE MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS CORRECTLY

READING

SKILL 1: ANSWER THE MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS CORRECTLY

Almost every reading passage on the paper TOEFL test or computer TOEFL test will have a multiple-choice question about the main idea of the passage. These questions are all really asking what primary point the author is trying to get across in the passage. If a passage consists of only one paragraph, you should study the beginning of that paragraph to determine the main idea.

Example from the Paper TOEFL Test The passage: In the philosophy of John Dewey, a sharp distinction is made between intelligence and reasoning. According to Dewey, intelligence is the only absolute way to achieve a balance between realism and idealism, between practically and wisdom of life. Intelligence involves “interacting with other things and knowing them,” while reasoning is merely the act of an observer, “…a mind that beholds or grasps objects outside the world of things…” With reasoning, a level of mental certainty can be achieved, but it is through intelligence that control is taken of events that shape one’s life.

The question: What is the topic of this passage? A.           The intelligence of John Dewey. B.           Distinctions made by John Dewey C.           Dewey’s ideas on the ability to reason. D.          How intelligence differs from reasoning in Dewey’s works.

 

 This question asks about the topic of the passage. Because this passage has only one paragraph, you should look at the first sentence of the passage to answer this question. The first sentence of this passage discusses a distinction between the ideas of intelligence and reasoning in the philosophy of John Dewey, so this is probably the topic

 

TOEFL EXERCISE 1: Study each of the passages and choose the best answers to the questions that follow. In this exercise, each passage is followed by several main idea, topic, or title questions so that the students can practice this type of question. On the TOEFL test, one passage would probably not have two such questions because they are so similar.

PASSAGE ONE (Questions 1-2)

Fort Knox, Kentucky, is the site of a U.S. army post, but it is even more renowned for the Fort Knox Bullion Depository, the massive fault that contains the bulk of the U.S. government’s gold deposits. Completed in 1936, the vault is housed in a two-story building constructed of granite, steel, and concrete; the vault itself is made of steel and concrete and has a door that weighs more than twenty tons. Naturally, the most up-to-date security devices available are in place at Fort Knox, and the army post nearby provides further protection.

1

Which of the following best describes the topic of the passage? A.    The city of Fort Knox, Kentucky B.    The federal gold depository C.    The U.S. army post at Fort Knox D.    Gold Bullion

2

Which of the following would be the best title for this passage? A.     The Massive Concrete Vault B.     Fort Knox Security C.     Where the United States Keeps Its Gold D.     A visit to Kentucky

PASSAGE TWO (Questions 3-4)

One identifying characteristic of minerals is their relative hardness, which can be determined by scratching one mineral with another. In this type of test, a harder mineral can scratch a softer one, but a softer mineral is unable to scratch the harder one. The Mohs’ hardness scale is used to rank minerals according to hardness. Ten minerals are listed in this scale, ranging from talc with a hardness of 1 to diamond with a hardness of 10. On this scale, quartz (number 7) is harder than feldspar (number 6) and is therefore able to scratch it; however, feldspar is unable to make a mark on quartz.

3

Which of the following best states the subject of this passage? A.        The hardness of diamonds B.        Identifying minerals by means of a scratch test C.        Feldspar on the Mohs’ scale D.        Recognizing minerals in their natural state

4

The main idea of the passage is that A.        the hardness of a mineral can be determined by its ability to make a mark on other minerals. B.        diamonds, with a hardness of 10 on the Mohs’ can scratch all other mineral C.        a softer mineral cannot be scratched by a harder mineral. D.        talc is the first mineral listed on the Mohs’ scale

PASSAGE THREE (Questions 5-6)

Hurricanes generally occur in the North Atlantic from May through November, with the peak of the hurricane season in September; only rarely will they occur from December through April in that part of the ocean. The main reason for the occurrence of hurricanes during this period is that the temperature on the water’s surface is at its warmest and the humidity of the air is at its highest.

Of the tropical storms that occur each year in the North Atlantic, only about five, on the average, are powerful enough to be called hurricanes. To be classified as a hurricane, a tropical storm must have winds reaching speeds of at least 117 kilometers per hour, but the winds are often much stronger than that; the winds of intense hurricanes can easily surpass 240 kilometers per hour.

5

The passage mainly discusses A.       how many hurricanes occur each year B.       the strength of hurricanes C.       the weather in the North Atlantic D.       hurricanes in one part of the world

6

the best title for this passage would be A.        The North Atlantic Ocean B.        Storms of the Northern Atlantic C.        Hurricanes; The Damage and Destruction D.        What Happens from May through November

 

PASSAGE FOUR (Questions 7-9)

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) was perhaps the best-known American poet of the nineteenth century. His clear writing style and emphasis on the prevalent values of the period made him popular with the general public if not always with the critics. He was particularly recognized for his longer narrative poems Evangeline, The Song of Hiawatha, and The Courtship of Miles Standish, in which he told stories from American history in terms of the values of time.

Evangeline was set during the French and Indian War (1754-1763), when the British forced French settlers from Nova Scotia; two lovers, Gabriel and Evangeline, were separated by the British, and Evangeline devoted her lifetime to the search for Gabriel. With its emphasis on sentimental, undying love, Evangeline was immensely popular with the public.

In The Song of Hiawatha, Longfellow depicted the noble life of the American Indian through the story of the brave Hiawatha and his beloved wife Minehaha. The tear-inspiring poem followa Hiawatha through the tragedies and triumphs of life, ending with the death of Minehaha and Hiawatha’s departure into the sunset in his canoe.

The Courtship of Miles Standish takes place during the early period of the settlement of New England, a period which was viewed as a time of honor and romance. In this poem centered around a love triangle, Miles Standish asks his friend John Alden to propose to Priscilla Mullins for him; John Alden ends up marrying Priscilla Mullins himself, and it takes time for his friendship with Miles Standish to recover. As with Longfellow’s other narrative poems, the emphasis on high ideas and romance made the poem extremely popular.

 

7	Which of the following best describes the main idea of the passage? A.        American history is often depicted in poetry. B.        Longfellow described American history even though people really did not enjoy it. C.        The popularity of Longfellow’s poems results from his stress on the values of the people. D.        Longfellow wrote long narrative poems that were not always popular with critics.	8	The best title of the passage is A.   Longfellow’s Popular Appeal B.   Historical Narrative Poems C.   The Lyric, Dramatic, and Narrative poems of Longfellow D.   Longfellow and the critics
		9	The subject of the fourth paragraph is A.   nobility and honor in the poems of Longfellow B.   the love triangle involving Miles Standish C.   the popular appeal of The Courtship of Miles Standish D.   the period of the early settlement of New England

ANSWER KEY

1	B	6	B
2	C	7	C
3	B	8	A
4	A	9	C
5	D