Skill 1

READING SECTION
SKILL 1
SKILL 1 Main Idea Questions
• Almost every reading passage on the TOEFL
test will have a question about the main idea of a
passage.
 Such question may be worded in a variety of ways; you may be
asked to identify the topic, subject, title, primary idea or main
idea.
 TOEFL passages are generally written in a traditionally
organized manner, the topic sentence is most probably found at
the beginning of a paragraph.
Example 1
Basketball was invented in 1891 by a physical
education instructor of Springfield, Massachusetts, by the
name of James Naismith. Because of the terrible weather in
winter, his physical education students were indoors rather
than outdoors. Naismith figured out a team sport that could
be played indoors on a gymnasium floor; that involved a lot
of running, that kept all team members involved, and that did
not allow the tackling and physical contact of American-style
football.
What’s the main idea of this paragraph?
A. The life of James Naismith C. Physical education subject
B. The history of sports D. The origin of basketball
Example 1
Basketball was invented in 1891 by a physical
education instructor of Springfield, Massachusetts, by the
name of James Naismith. Because of the terrible weather in
winter, his physical education students were indoors rather
than outdoors. Naismith figured out a team sport that could
be played indoors on a gymnasium floor; that involved a lot
of running, that kept all team members involved, and that did
not allow the tackling and physical contact of American-style
football.
What’s the main idea of this paragraph?
A. The life of James Naismith C. Physical education subject
B. The history of sports D. The origin of basketball
Example 2
Early maps of the North American continent showed
a massive river that began in the Rocky Mountains, flowed
into the Great Salt Lake, and from there continued
westward into the Pacific Ocean. This river named the
Bonaventura River, on some maps rivaled the Great
Mississippi River.
This mythical river of course does not exist.
Perhaps an early mapmaker hypothesized that such a river
probably existed; perhaps a smaller river was seen and its
path from the Rockies to the Pacific was assumed. As late
as the middle of the 19th century, this river was still on
maps and explorers were still searching for it.
Example 2
Early maps of the North American continent
showed a massive river that began in the Rocky
Mountains, flowed into the Great Salt Lake, and from there
continued westward into the Pacific Ocean. This river
named the Bonaventura River, on some maps rivaled the
Great Mississippi River.
This mythical river of course does not exist.
Perhaps an early mapmaker hypothesized that such a river
probably existed; perhaps a smaller river was seen and its
path from the Rockies to the Pacific was assumed. As late
as the middle of the 19th century, this river was still on
maps and explorers were still searching for it.
SUMMARY of SKILL 1
HOW TO IDENTIFY THE QUESTION?
1) What’s the topic of the passage?
2) What’s the subject of the passage?
3) What’s the main idea of the passage?
4) What’s the author’s main point of the passage?
5) With what is the author primarily concerned?
6) Which of the following is the best title?
WHERE TO FIND THE ANSWER?

• The answer to this type of question can generally be
determined by looking at the first sentence of each paragraph.
SUMMARY of SKILL 1
HOW TO ANSWER THE QUESTION?
1) Read the first line of each passage.
2) Look for a common theme or idea in
the first line.
3) Pass your eyes quickly over the rest
of the passage to check that you
really have found the topic
sentence(s).
4) Eliminate any definitely wrong answers and choose the
best answer from the remaining choices.
TOEFL EXERCISE 1
PASSAGE ONE
Most of the ice on the Earth, close to 90 percent of it, is
covering the surface of the continent Antarctica. It does not snow
very much in Antarctica, but whatever snow does fall remains and
grows deeper and deeper. In some areas of Antarctica, the ice has
perhaps been around for as much as a million years and now is
more than two miles deep.
1. The main idea of the passage is that
A. the Earth is a cold planet
B. most of the Earth’s ice is found in Antarctica.
C. it snows more in Antarctica than in any other place on Earth.
D. Antarctica is only two miles wide but is 90 percent ice
PASSAGE ONE
Most of the ice on the Earth, close to 90 percent of it, is
covering the surface of the continent Antarctica. It does not snow
very much in Antarctica, but whatever snow does fall remains and
grows deeper and deeper. In some areas of Antarctica, the ice has
perhaps been around for as much as a million years and now is
more than two miles deep.
2. The best title for the passage is
A. Snowfall in Antarctica
B. The Ice Earth
C. The Cold, Cold Snow
D. The Causes of Antarctica’s Ice Pack
PASSAGE TWO
The extremely hot and humid weather that occurs in the US
in July and August is commonly called the “dog days” of summer.
This name comes from the star Sirius, which is known as the Dog
Star. Sirius is the brightest visible star, and in the hot summer
months it rises in the east at approximately the same time as the
Sun. as ancient people saw this star rising with the Sun when the
weather was at its hottest, they believed that Sirius was the cause
of the additional heat; they believed that this bright star added its
heat to the heat of the Sun, and these two together made summer
weather so unbearably hot.
3. The topic of this passage is
A. how dogs like to play during the summer
B. the causes of hot and humid weather
C. why the hot summer days are known as the “dog days”
D. the days that dogs prefer
4. The main idea of this passage is that …

A. the name fro the summer days came from Sirius, the Dog Star
B. dogs generally prefer hot summer days
C. the hottest days occur in the summer because of the
movements of the Sun and stars
D. sirius rises at almost the same time as the Sun during the
summer months
PASSAGE THREE
The term “primitive art” has been used in a variety of ways to
describe works and styles of art. One way that this term has been
used is to describe the early period within the development of a
certain style of art. Another way that this term has been used is to
describe artists who have received little professional training and
who demonstrate a nontraditional naivete in their work.
A wonderful example of this second type of primitive artist is
Grandma Moses, who spent all her life living on a farm and working
at tasks normally associated with farm life. She did not begin painting
until she reached the age of seventy-six, when she switched to
painting from embroidery because the arthritis in her hands made
embroidery too difficult. Totally without formal education in art, she
began creating panoramic images of everyday life on the farm that
have achieved international fame.
5. The subject of this passage is
A. an example of one of the types of primitive art
B. Grandma Moses’ life on the farm
C. how primitive art differs from formal art
D. Grandma Moses’ primitive life style
6. Which of the following best expresses the main idea of the

passage?
A. Grandma Moses spent her life on a farm.
B. Art critics cannot come to any agreement on a definition of
primitive art.
C. Grandma Moses is one type of primitive artist because of her
lack of formal training.
D. Many artists receive little professional training.

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READING SECTION

WHERE TO FIND THE ANSWER?

4. The main idea of this passage is that …

6. Which of the following best expresses the main idea of the

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