Topics and Main Ideas

NAME:_______Michelle Woods___________________________________________________________ TOPICS AND MAIN IDEAS Directions: Read each paragraph. Then circle the letter of the correct topic and write the number (or numbers) of the topic sentence in the blank. Then circle the letter of the statement that more effectively paraphrases the topic sentence. 1. 1 Throughout history, snakes have played a central role in the myths and rituals of different cultures. 2To ensure a good harvest, the Hopi Indians of the Southwest perform ritual dances with live rattlesnakes in their mouths. 3 To usher in the year of the snake, the Chinese draw human figures with snake heads. 4Snakes are also found on early American flags. 5The most famous flag shows a snake coiled in a yellow field. 6Underneath the figure of the serpent stands the warning, "Don't tread on me." Topic a. the year of the snake in Chinese culture b. rituals c. the role of snakes in myths and rituals Topic Sentence: 1 Paraphrase a. Early American flags show a snake coiled to strike. b. Snakes appear in the myths and rituals of many different cultures. 2. 1 In 1911, the English explorer Robert Scott set out to explore the South Pole. 21JnfortunateIy, he made a fatal error and his attempt to reach the South Pole resulted in tragedy. 3 When Scott left for the Pole, he carried with him not a team of sled dogs but nineteen small ponies. 41n contrast to the more widely used sled dogs, the ponies had a hard time navigating the harsh terrain, and could not withstand the freezing cold, 5Ultimately, the ponies, along with Scott and his entire team, died in their attempt to reach the South Pole. 6Roald Amundsen, the explorer who beat Scott to the Pole, later attributed his success to his team's use of sled dogs rather than ponies. Topic: a. Robert Scoffs heroism b. Roald Amundsents view of Robert Scott c. Robert Scottis fatal error Topic Sentence: 2 Paraphrase: a. According to Roald Amundsen, he made the right decision when he chose to use sled dogs for his journey to the South Pole. b. Robert Scott made a terrible mistake when he set out to reach the South Pole, and that mistake cost him dearly. 3. I After Columbus discovered the New World in 1492, a host of other explorers set out to claim new lands for their royal patrons. 2The English explorer John Cabot claimed Labrador and Newfoundland in what is now called Canada. 3Also sailing under the English flag was Sir Francis Drake who claimed the region now known as California. 4Ponce de Leon discovered the land now called Florida and claimed it for the Spanish throne. 5Henry Hudson, sailing for the Dutch crown, claimed the area now known as New York. Topic a. exploration in the New World after Columbus b. Ponce de Leon’s discovery of Florida c. the extraordinary courage of the early explorers NAME:_______Michelle Woods___________________________________________________________ Topic: 1 Paraphrase: a. Inspired by Columbus's discoveries, a number of other explorers set out to explore the New World. b. Although many explorers tried to match Columbus's triumph, few succeeded. 4. 1.On September l, 1914, a twenty-nine-year-old bird named Martha died in the Cincinnati Zoo. 2Martha was the last known passenger pigeon in existence. 3 Yet in the nineteenth century, there were so many passenger pigeons in America that no attempt was made to protect them through legislation. 40n the contrary, large-scale pigeon shoots were a popular sport. 50ften the killing went on for days, long after the hunters' need for food had been satisfied. 6But in addition to being hunted throughout the nineteenth century, passenger pigeons were finding it harder and harder to locate the wide and uninhabited tracts of land they needed to raise their young. 7By the beginning of the twentieth century, Martha the passenger pigeon was all that was left from the huge flocks that had once ranged over the United States, and with her death, the birds became extinct. Topic: a. how passenger pigeons became extinct b, the life of Martha the passenger pigeon c. hunting in nineteenth-century America Topic Sentence: Paraphrase a. Martha's lonely, miserable life illustrates how horrible it is to confine animals in zoos. b. By the beginning of the twentieth century, Martha was all that remained of the huge flocks of passenger pigeons that had once darkened the American skies. 5. I Almost as soon as the potato was introduced into Europe, the people of Ireland made. it a staple of their daily diet. 2Hjstorians have estimated, in fact, that at least half of the Irish population relied on the potato for most of their nutritional needs. 3Consequently, Ireland was the country hardest hit when the potato blight hit Europe in 1845. 4 In less than a year, thousands of people died. 5 Some perished from starvation; others-the young and the very old-from diseases that wasted their undernourished bodies. 6Because of the blight, many of Ireland's poor were forced to abandon their homes and emigrate to other countries. Topic a. Ireland in the nineteenth century b. the potato blight of 1845 c. the nutritional benefits of eating potatoes Topic Sentence: _________ Paraphrase: a. The potato blight of 1845 devastated many European countries. b. In Ireland, the potato blight of 1845 produced a national tragedy. 6. I In "1940, a new insecticide named dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane was launched on the market and hailed as a savior. 21nsect-borne diseases like typhus and malaria disappeared wherever DDT, as the insecticide came to be called, was sprayed. 3 Thanks to DDT, vegetable growers no longer had to fear the arrival of insects that could wipe out an entire crop in a matter of days. 4Still, despite its benefits, DDT had a serious side effect that could not be ignored. 50ver time, scientists discovered that DDT was being absorbed by the plants and animals that came in contact with it. 6Fish and cows, for example, were found to have absorbed massive doses of the poisonous substance. 7 As Rachel Carson pointed out in her 1962 bestseller, Silent Spring, animals that had absorbed huge amounts of DDT were making their way onto America's NAME:_______Michelle Woods___________________________________________________________ dinner table and no one could be sure what the long-term consequences might be for Americans' health. 80n November 20, 1971, DDT was officially banned. a. the use of pesticides b. DDTs dangerous side effect c. the benefits of using DDT Topic sentence Paraphrase: a. Although Rachel Carson had evidence proving her claims about DDTs negative side effects, nothing was done about its use until 1971. b. Although the use of DDT did some good, the pesticide ultimately proved too dangerous to be on the market. 7. I The white-tailed deer was one of the first animals to be protected by federal legislation. 2But as it turns out, unlike the passenger pigeon, deer were not in much need of protection. 3 They have proven to be highly adaptable creatures, and their population has not diminished in response to a loss of wooded areas. 4Like squirrels and robins, white-tailed deer have adapted quite nicely to life on the edge of suburbia. 51n fact, they are happy to supplement their regular diets with fruits and vegetables from gardens. 61n addition, many homeowners are fond of these gentle creatures and put out blocks of deer food that help the animals make it through harsh winters. Topic a. the diet of white-tailed deer b. life on the edge of suburbia c. the survival of white-tailed deer Topic Sentence Paraphrase a. White-tailed deer have managed to survive quite nicely into the twentieth century. b. White-tailed deer are a menace to suburban gardens. 8. I In the past, young South Koreans of marriageable age relied on their parents or a matchmaker to find them a suitable spouse, 2Nowadays, however, South Koreans in search of a mate are far more likely to turn to a computerized dating service. 3 Yet, unlike dating services in other parts of the world, those in South Korea don't particularly concern themselves with romance. 4Their goal is to bring together men and women who share the same social and economic backgrounds. 5Dating services in South Korea also try to match couples according to the year in which they were born. 6Tradition claims, for example, that a man born in the year of the monkey would not be happy with a woman born in the year of the tiger. 7Thus, no respectable dating service would bring together two people born under such incompatible signs. a. dating services in South Korea b. romance in South Korea c. the decline of matchmaking in South Korea Topic Sentence: Paraphrase: a. In the past, South Koreans of marriageable age got the best results when they employed a matchmaker. b. In contrast to other countries, dating services in South Korea dont emphasize romantic attraction. 9. I In the wild, wolves who lead packs use a variety of signals to dominate and control members of their group. 21f, for example, the lead wolf feels threatened by a young male, he will growl and ruffle his fur to show the upstart who's in charge. 3 The wolf may also indicate displeasure by holding its back rigid and extending its tail. 4 When a sterner warning NAME:_______Michelle Woods___________________________________________________________ is needed, the lead wolf stands on its back legs and puts its paws on the offending wolf' shoulders. 5To further cow the challenger, the lead wolf will give a threatening growl and pretend to bite the opponent. 61f the other wolf decides to give in, it's likely to show submission by bowing, lowering its body, then sneaking off with its tail between its legs. a. wolves and aggression b. animal behavior in the wild c. signals used by lead wolves Topic sentence Paraphrase a. Wild wolves who lead their packs use a number of different signals to direct the members of their group. b. Wolves in the wild are constantly fighting to decide which one will lead the pack. 10. 1. Infants spend most of their days fast asleep, 21n the days immediately after birth, newborns sleep an average of sixteen hours per day. 3But the amount they sleep decreases steadily with each passing month. 4By the age of six months, babies average about thirteen to fourteen hours of sleep per day. 5By twenty-four months, they average only eleven or twelve hours per day. 61n short, babies sleep a lot, but the amount of sleep they need decreases over time. (Adapted fron) Kelvin L. Seifert and Robert J.Hoffnung, Child and Adolescent Development. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1993, p. 139.) Topic a. the habits of newborns b. the sleep patterns of infants c. sleep Topic Sentence: Paraphrase a. Mothers and fathers would do well to make sure that their babies get enough rest. b. Newborn infants spend most of their time sleeping, but as they get older they don't need quite as much sleep.