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Main Ideas, Skimming and Scanning

Goal Find the main idea of a text quickly and locate details. SKIMMING = reading fast for the general idea. Read the title, the first and last paragraphs, and the first sentence of each paragraph. SCANNING = searching for one specific detail (a name, date, number). Move your eyes quickly and look only for the key word.

FINDING THE MAIN IDEA

Ask: "What is the writer mostly saying about the topic?"
The main idea is often in the first sentence (the topic sentence) of a paragraph.

SAMPLE PARAGRAPH

"Kangaroos are well suited to Australia's dry climate. They can survive for long
periods without drinking, getting much of their water from the plants they eat.
In very hot weather, they lick their forearms so that evaporation cools their blood."

Main idea: Kangaroos are adapted to dry conditions.
Supporting details: little drinking; water from plants; licking forearms to cool down.

PRACTICE

  1. Scan: how do kangaroos cool their blood?
  2. Which sentence is the topic sentence?
Show answers
  1. By licking their forearms (evaporation cools them). 2. The first sentence.

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