READING

COMPREHENSION

Prepared by:
Raimi Syazwan
Amin
Gabriel Goh
English for Effective Communication (GEC 1033)
Madam Noor Akbari Ismail Ali 29th July 2015
 SUMMARY

- Skimming for main ideas

- Scanning for specific information
- Locating main ideas and supporting details
 SKIMMING FOR MAIN IDEAS

Topic: The overall subject of a paragraph.

Main Idea: A statement that tells the author’s point about the topic. The main
idea provides the message of a given paragraph or the argument that is being
made about the topic.

Main Idea = Topic + Author’s Point about the Topic

The main idea is the overall idea of the paragraph. It is supported by details throughout the
paragraph much like the frame of a house supports the roof.

Topic

Main Idea

Supporting Details
 Techniques

- Read the title

- Read the introduction or lead-in paragraph
- Read the first paragraph completely
- If there are subheadings, read each one.
- Read the first sentence of each remaining paragraph.
- Read the final paragraph completely.
 SKIMMING FOR MAIN IDEAS

How to Find the Topic

Ask yourself the question: What or who is this paragraph about?

How to Find the Main Idea

Ask yourself the question: What is the overall message or argument
being made by the author about the topic of this paragraph?

Hints
Boldfaced headings or titles may contain the topic and/or main idea
First and last sentences in the paragraph are usually helpful
Look for repeating words, these often indicate the topic
SCANNING FOR SPECIFIC INFORMATION

Rapidly covers a great deal of material in order to locate a

specific fact or piece of information.

Useful in finding a specific name, date, statistic, or fact

without reading the entire article.
 Techniques

- Keep in mind of what you are searching for in the text.

- Anticipate in what form the information is like to
appear– numbers, proper nouns etc.
- Analyse the text before scanning:
- If material if familiar or brief, you may be able to
scan the entire article in a single search.
- If material is lengthy or difficult, a preliminary
skimming may be necessary which part of the text to
scan.
 Techniques

- Let your eyes run rapidly over several lines of print at a

time.
- When you find the sentence that has the information
you seek, read the entire sentence.
- Must be willing to skip large sections of text without
reading or understanding them.
- Scanning can be done ≥1500 words per minute.
LOCATING MAIN IDEAS AND SUPPORTING DETAILS

Main ideas:
- general statements about the topic.
- give a definition of the thing being written about
- located within the paragraph or at the end of the
paragraph. They may also appear twice ( at the beginning
and at the end)
Supporting details:
• Contains facts, statements, example-specific which guide us to a full
understanding of the main idea. They clarify, illuminate , explain,
describe, expand and illustrate the main ideas and supporting details.
• Type of supporting details – comparisons , statistic , contrast , graph ,
quotations and vivid description
• How to locate supporting details – turn the main idea into a question by
asking who, what, when, where, why or how.
 MAIN IDEA PRACTICE EXERCISE
Read the passages and answer the questions.
1.Fire ants are painful and destructive pests.
2.The fire ant earned its name because of its venom.
3.The insect uses a wasp-like stinger to inject the venom, which causes a painful burning sensation and leaves tiny, itching pustules.
4.The ants will swarm over anyone or anything that disturbs their nests.
5.In addition to causing pain, fire ants damage many crops by eating the plants and by protecting other insects that damage crops.
6.Fire ants are attracted to soybeans, eggplant, corn, okra, strawberries, and potatoes.

• 1. What is the topic of the passage?

a. Ant bites b. Fire ants c. Farming d. Pests

• 2. What does the author want you to know about the topic?
a. Fire ants have a wasp-like stinger. b. Fire ants swarm. c. Fire ants are pests to farmers. d. Fire ants are painful and pesky.

• 3. Which sentence contains the main idea?

a. 1 b. 2 c. 4 d. 5 Answer:1.b,2.d,3.a
References
Learning task 2: Identifying main ideas and supporting detail (http://esolonline.tki.org.nz/ESOL-
Online/Teacher-needs/Teaching-and-learning-sequences/Written-language-Reading-an-information-report-
US2986/Learning-task-2-Identifying-main-ideas-and-supporting-detail)
Skimming and Scanning (https://www.aacc.edu/tutoring/file/skimming.pdf)
Main ideas and supporting details (http://manoa.hawaii.edu/undergrad/learning/wp-
content/uploads/2014/03/MAIN-IDEAS-AND-SUPPORTING.pdf)