DIVISION SDO Laguna GRADE LEVEL Grade 11

Getting the Main

Idea and
Reading Skill Inclusive Date January 10-11, 2022
Supporting
Details
Project REACH
https://www.landmarkoutreach.org/strategies/finding-
Reading Material main-idea/
No. 1 Reading Material
Reference: English IV Textbook, 1st Ed (1992), Reprinted (1997), Quezon
City: Brown Madonna Press Inc. p. 90, p. 231, p. 234

Your guide to Getting the Main Idea and Supporting

Details
How Can I Locate the Main Idea?
Once you can find the topic, you are ready to find the
main idea. The main idea is the point of the paragraph. It is
the most important thought about the topic.
To figure out the main idea, ask yourself this question:
What is being said about the person, thing, or idea (the
topic)?
The author can locate the main idea in different places
within a paragraph. The main idea is usually a sentence, and
it is usually the first sentence. The writer then uses the rest
of the paragraph to support the main idea. Let’s use the
paragraph below as an example. First find the topic, then
look for the main idea.
Summer is a wonderful time to spend at West Beach.
It is a beach with light- colored, soft sand. The coastline
goes on for a long way and many people enjoy walking
along it. Children like to play in the surf and walk along
the rocks that are visible at low tide. This is a fun beach
for people of all ages.  suffer mental blackout and in the process forget
In this paragraph:     even the little that we know. And after the test is
the topic is West Beach
the main idea (what the writer is saying about the
topic) is that summer is a wonderful time at West
Beach
While the main idea is usually in the first sentence, the
next most common placement is in the last sentence of a
paragraph. The author gives supporting information first and
then makes the point in the last sentence. Here’s a
paragraph we can use as an example. Try to locate the topic
and the main idea.
Most teenagers and young adults do not know what
they want to do for the rest of their lives. It is a big
decision. There are a number of things you can do to
narrow the choices. For example you can take an interest
test, do some research on your own about a career, try
volunteer work in the field in which you are interested, or
“job-shadow”, in which you spend a day with a person
who is working in a field that interests you. These are just
a few helpful ideas as you begin to choose a career. 
In this paragraph:
the topic is jobs or career choices
the main idea is a few ideas to help the reader
choose a career
Finally, an author might put the main idea in the middle of
a paragraph. The author will spend a few sentences
introducing the topic, present the main idea, then spend the
rest of the paragraph supporting it. This can make the main
idea more difficult to find. See if you can find the topic and
main idea in the paragraph below.
The United States seems to be in love with the idea of going
out to eat. Because of this,  a real variety of restaurants has
come about specializing  in all kinds of foods. McDonald’s is the
king of a subgroup of restaurants called fast-food restaurants.
Chances are, no matter where you live, there is a McDonald’s
restaurant near you. There are even McDonald’s in the Soviet
Union. Now McDonald’s is trying something new. It is called
McDonald’s Express and there is a test site in Peabody,
Massachusetts. It is part of a Mobil gas station. This allows you
to fill up with gas and fill up on food at the same time. What will
they think of next?
SDO LAGUNA-Project REACH Full Implementation Material_SY 2021-2022
Get Ready!
Directions: Read the selection, then answer the
questions that follow. Write your answer on the
answer sheet.
On Taking Examinations
Most of us dread examinations. Even
long before the examination we are
apprehensive about the coverage of the test
and we get worried over the types of questions
that will be asked. We wonder as we ask
ourselves, “Have I studied what they will ask or
are they going to ask what I left out or glossed
over in my review?” During the examination
itself when we finally lay our eyes on the
questions, our tension increases. Some of us
over, our tension still lingers on. It does not
leave us as we ask ourselves, “Did I make the
grade or did I flunk the test? Did I come through
with flying colors?” It is only when papers have
been corrected and finally returned that we can
breathe a sigh of relief that the ordeal is over at
last.
What is my profile as an examinee? How
do I prepare for a test? What do I do as I take
it? And when it is over, do I do anything about
the results?
Questions to Answer
_____1. Which is the main idea in this reading
selection?
A. Some of us suffer mental blackout and in
the process forget even the little that we
know.
B. Even long before the examination we are
apprehensive about the coverage of the test
and we get worried over the types of
questions that will be asked.
C. It is only when papers have been
corrected and finally returned that we can
breathe a sigh of relief that the ordeal is over
at last.
_____2. Which is the proper sequence of the
supporting details in the reading text?
1. During the examination itself when we finally
lay our eyes on the questions, our tension
increases.
 DIVISION SDO Laguna GRADE LEVEL Grade 11

Getting the Main

Idea and
Reading Skill Inclusive Date January 10-11, 2022
Supporting
Details
Project REACH
https://www.landmarkoutreach.org/strategies/finding-
Reading Material main-idea/
No. 1 Reading Material
Reference: English IV Textbook, 1st Ed (1992), Reprinted (1997), Quezon
City: Brown Madonna Press Inc. p. 90, p. 231, p. 234

2. We wonder as we ask ourselves, “Have I C. Pollution is one of the harmful effects of

studied what they will ask or are they going to
ask what I left out or glossed over in my
review?”
3. And after the test is over, our tension still
lingers on…“Did I make the grade or did I flunk
the test? Did I come through with flying colors?”
A. 2-1-3
B. 1-3-2
C. 3-2-1
_____3. Which is the concluding statement in
this reading article?
A. Most of us dread examinations.
B. It is only when papers have been
corrected and finally returned that we can
breathe a sigh of relief that the ordeal is over
at last.
C. Even long before the examination we are
apprehensive about the coverage of the test
and we get worried over the types of
questions that will be asked.
Reading Selection No. 2
(1) Pollution is one of the harmful effects
of industrialization. (2) First, a small and
unindustrialized town enjoys the freshness of its
air and the clearness of its rivers and lakes. (3)
Then, factories and commercial establishments
are built; different means of transportation fill
the streets, while the population steadily grows.
(4) Eventually, the factories and vehicles emit
black smoke while the people in the commercial
and residential areas dump their garbage in
rivers and lakes-resulting in both air and water
pollution. (5) As a result, people are trapped in
an unhealthy and polluted environment that
threatens our life. (6) But we have no one to
blame for all these but ourselves.
Questions to Answer
______4. Which is the main idea in this reading
text?
A. People are trapped in an unhealthy and
polluted environment that threatens our life.
B. The factories and vehicles emit black
smoke while the people in the commercial
and residential areas dump their garbage in
rivers and lakes-resulting in both air and
water pollution.
industrialization.
______5. What is the correct order of the
supporting details based on the reading
selection?
1. Factories and commercial establishments are
built; different means of transportation fill the
streets, while the population steadily grows.
2. The factories and vehicles emit black smoke
while the people in the commercial and
residential areas dump their garbage in rivers
and lakes-resulting in both air and water
pollution.
3. A small and unindustrialized town enjoys the
freshness of its air and the clearness of its
rivers and lakes.
A. 3-2-1
B. 1-2-3
C. 3-1-2
______6. Which is the concluding sentence in
the reading material?
A. People are trapped in an unhealthy and
polluted environment that threatens our life.
B. Pollution is one of the harmful effects of
industrialization.
C. A small and unindustrialized town enjoys
the freshness of its air and the clearness of
its rivers and lakes.
Reading Selection No. 3
The population of the Philippines has
grown tremendously in recent years. When our
population grows, greater demands are also
made on our natural resources to meet the
increasing needs of our population. Thus, more
houses have to be built; more food crops have
to be raised; adequate clothing has to be
provided to millions of Filipinos.
These needs have to be met by
accelerated industrialization of our country
which has created a problem in our
environment. More factories and industrial
plants have caused congestion and pollution of
our air, waters, and land. With more houses to
be built, there has also been unrestricted
cutting of our forest, resulting in floods and
droughts.
The government has been alerted to the
alarming pollution of our environment. Logging

SDO LAGUNA-Project REACH Full Implementation Material_SY 2021-2022

 DIVISION SDO Laguna GRADE LEVEL Grade 11

Getting the Main

Idea and
Reading Skill Inclusive Date January 10-11, 2022
Supporting
Details
Project REACH
https://www.landmarkoutreach.org/strategies/finding-
Reading Material main-idea/
No. 1 Reading Material
Reference: English IV Textbook, 1st Ed (1992), Reprinted (1997), Quezon
City: Brown Madonna Press Inc. p. 90, p. 231, p. 234

laws have been passed to regulate the cutting C. 1-2-3

of trees in our forests. A systematic ______10. Which is the concluding statement
reforestation program has been implemented to of this reading text?
restore what have been once our rich and A. This problem has to be confronted through
green mountains and forests. a coordinated effort of all government
While laws against unrestricted logging agencies in each region to avoid a
have been passed by Congress and a fragmented solution to the problem.
systematic program for waste disposal has B. Laws against unrestricted logging have
been undertaken, these steps will offer only been passed by Congress
short-term solutions. This problem has to be C. A systematic reforestation program has
confronted through a coordinated effort of all been implemented to restore what have been
government agencies in each region to avoid a once our rich and green mountains and
fragmented solution to the problem. forests.
Questions to Answer
______7. Which is the Thesis Statement of this
reading text? (may detach the answer sheet and reuse the
A. The population of the Philippines has questionnaire)
grown tremendously in recent years.
B. When our population grows, greater Project REACH (Reading Empowerment
demands are also made on our natural Asserting Connection @ Home)
resources to meet the increasing needs of
our population. Name :
C. These needs have to be met by Grade & Section :
accelerated industrialization of our country Date :
which has created a problem in our Reading Material No.:
environment. Reading Skill : Getting the Main Idea
______8. Which is the General Statement in and Supporting Details
paragraph 1?
A. When our population grows, greater Write your answers here:
demands are also made on our natural
resources to meet the increasing needs of 1. __________
our population. 2. __________
B. More houses have to be built; more food 3. __________
crops have to be raised, adequate clothing 4. __________
has to be provided to millions of Filipinos. 5. __________
C. The population of the Philippines has 6. __________
grown tremendously in recent years. 7. __________
______9. Which is the correct order of the 8. __________
supporting details of this text? 9. __________
1. A systematic reforestation program has been 10. __________
implemented to restore what have been once
our rich and green mountains and forests.
2. A systematic program for waste disposal has
been undertaken.
3. With more houses to be built, there has also
been unrestricted cutting of our forest, resulting
in floods and droughts.
A. 3-1-2
B. 2-1-3

SDO LAGUNA-Project REACH Full Implementation Material_SY 2021-2022

 DIVISION SDO Laguna GRADE LEVEL Grade 11

Getting the Main

Idea and
Reading Skill Inclusive Date January 10-11, 2022
Supporting
Details
Project REACH
https://www.landmarkoutreach.org/strategies/finding-
Reading Material main-idea/
No. 1 Reading Material
Reference: English IV Textbook, 1st Ed (1992), Reprinted (1997), Quezon
City: Brown Madonna Press Inc. p. 90, p. 231, p. 234

Project REACH (Reading Empowerment

Asserting Connection @ Home)

Name :
Grade & Section :
Date :
Reading Material No.:
Reading Skill : Getting the Main Idea
and Supporting Details

ANSWER KEY

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

SDO LAGUNA-Project REACH Full Implementation Material_SY 2021-2022