1.What is the topic?(Whom or what is the paragraph about?)
2.What does the author want me to know about the topic?
3. What general statement expresses what the author wants me to know about the topic?(The main idea is found in the topic sentence.)
[例1]
People have different tastes in food.Some feel that they haven't eaten a meal unless they have had steak or other red meat.Some prefer chicken or fish and eat one or the other at every meal.Others prefer vegetables and fruits or grains and would enjoy a meal of clam chowder, spaghetti,eggplant,and fresh fruit.Others could live on what are called fast foods:a hamburger or hot dog,French fries,and a soft drink.
1.The topic is:Tastes in Food.
2.The author wants you to know that peoplehave different tastes in food.
3. The first sentence is the one that expresses what the author wants you to know about the topic.This is the topic sentence expressing the main idea of the paragraph.
In 1959,Brazil lost the World Cup of soccer to Uruguay in Rio de Janeiro.The entire country was overcome by sadness;some people even died from it.Brazilians reacted very strongly to the defeatin the championship soccer game.
Some people had heart attacks,and others beat their heads against cement post.Brazilians are very emotional about soccer.
Californians and New Englanders are both American.They speak the same language and abide by the same federal laws.But they are very different in their ways of life.Mobility─ both physical and psychological─has made a great impression on the culture of Californians. Lack of mobility is the mark of the customs and morality of New Englanders.
[例4]
Synonyms,words that have the same basic meaning,do not always have the same emotional meaning.For example,the words“stingy?and“frugal?both mean“careful with money”.However,to call a person stingy is an insult,while the word frugal has much more positive connotation.Similarly,a person wants to be slender but not skinny,and aggressive,but not pushy. Therefore,you should be careful in choosing words because many so-called synonyms are not really synonymous at all.
We visited the seals frolicking in the water. Then we paid a visit to the colorful birds in the big new birdhouse.After that we stopped for a coke and a hot dog.Before going home,we spent a lot of time watching the funny monkeys.
[分析]
1.What is the topic?Activities at the zoo.
2.What does the author want me to know about the topic?There are a variety of activities at the zoo.
3. What general statement expresses what the author wants me to know about the topic? There is no general statement telling me this but I have inferred it.