Lab Activity 23: Locating the Central Idea

Chapter 5: Locating Stated Main Ideas
Lab Activity 23: Locating the Central Idea

Objective
To identify the central idea of a longer passage.

Step 2: Complete items 3 and 4 by writing the number of the sentence that expresses the central point in each passage. Then read the student essay "My Favorite Restaurant" and indicate which sentence best expresses the student's central point. Your instructor will tell you whether to write your answers in the book or submit them online. If you submit them online for item 5, you will need to copy and paste the sentence into the space provided to avoid any small errors.


		3. The Thought Journal ¹If personal letters are time-consuming and close relationships are on the wane, written communication to oneself is relatively easy. ²Stationery departments still carry a large assortment of diaries. Gwendolyn, the heroine of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, insists she never goes anywhere without her diary, especially when she takes the train, because "one should always have something sensational to read...." ³ The implication is that a diary for her becomes a place to keep her wildest imaginings, her private fantasies.⁴Admittedly, this is one way of getting a perspective on yourself. ⁵At least you know what your life is not. ⁶The more conservative of us simply write a summary of the day's events, a harmless, if not especially valuable, exercise, unless we are willing to probe behind the events. ⁷By far the recommended means of examining our lives carefully is the personal journal. ⁸The keyword in journal writing is interpretation. ⁹If you review an event that has happened, you consider what it means to you. ¹⁰What has it revealed about yourself? ¹¹Other who may have been involved? ¹²The neighborhood? ¹³The city? ¹⁴Society? ¹⁵Has it given you fresh insights into the legal system? ¹⁶Education? ¹⁷Religion? ¹⁸Family relationships? ¹⁹Romantic involvements? ²⁰You can confide in your journal, knowing that it is private, unless of course you want to share it with a close friend. —Janaro & Altschuler, p. 81. Central point:

		4. Selling the Sponsors' Products ¹ Commercials remain the soul of network television. ²Those who count such things tell us that the average American sees at least 32,000 of them in a given year. ³In a sense they represent a minor art form in that they have to make their point in 30 seconds; unless they are successful, a multibillion-dollar industry could disappear from the earth. ⁴In addition, both manufacturers and producers know they are up against the mightiest challenge ever faced by the industry: remote control. ⁵You can change channels in an instant during the commercial break. ⁶You can summon up the little screen that allows you to watch two channels at once. ⁷At the very least you can press the "mute" button so you don't have to listen. ⁸To meet the challenge, most commercials are quite different from those in the past, which used to show the same kind of happy, untroubled middle-class existence that was the subject of most sitcoms. ⁹Nowadays producers know that most viewers have grown too cynical to be taken in by such bogus reality, no matter how much nostalgic tolerance still exists for the reruns. ¹⁰Nostalgia, in an altered form, is part of commercials aimed at very specific audiences, such as those who do the shopping for the holidays. ¹¹Large supermarkets, for example, like to show large families gathered around a table, enjoying a splendid feast. ¹²There is usually no sales pitch at all, not even a mention of where the food can be obtained. ¹³Instead, the commercial fades quietly into a dark screen on which the store sends its very best wishes for a happy holiday. ¹⁴The influence of film is clear. —Janaro & Altschuler, p. 81. Central point: .

		5. My Favorite Restaurant Granby Street is one of the most heavily traveled roads in Norfolk, Virginia. There are a number of restaurants specializing in a variety of foods from many diverse countries. One restaurant in particular that I enjoy very much is Caribbean Flavours. This restaurant is located directly across from Lafayette Park. Caribbean Flavours is my favorite restaurant because of the atmosphere, the delicious West Indian cuisine, and the people who frequent the area as much as I do. Upon entering the restaurant, I am overwhelmed by the delicious and familiar aromas drifting from the kitchen. To my left is a showcase containing sweet treats from Trinidad and Tobago. They include kamara, sugar cake, currants. Before entering the dining area, I can see many shelves displaying everything from staples to personal hygiene items—all of which are imported products. As I proceed down the aisles, I come upon the eating area. To the right is a commercial freezer stocked with many beverages from various islands. The music coming from the speakers above directed toward the tables invites its patrons to relax to the sounds of calypso, steel pan, and reggae. The Caribbean Flavours menu offers a diverse selection of food. Two personal favorites are the jerk chicken and rice and the shrimp roti. The jerk chicken originates from the island of Jamaica. It consists mostly of hot spices and herbs, and it is served with rice and peas. The shrimp roti is like a soft taco. Inside are shrimp, potatoes, and chickpeas. Both of these dishes are popular among the patrons because they get a taste of the islands without having to leave the local area. Many of the regulars are from different islands. Nevertheless, we all have comparable backgrounds. Because of this, we are all able to maintain a comfortable environment with one another. Our conversations range from politics to familiar music. Hence we keep up daily with current affairs. With all of the similarities of restaurants in the Caribbean, this restaurant will always be my favorite because it makes me feel as though I am home again. —Ornella Turner Central point: .