Lab Activity 26: Determining the Main Idea

Chapter 6: Supporting Details
Lab Activity 26: Determining the Main Idea

Objective
To apply what you have learned about general and specific ideas in order to identify the supporting details that explain and develop the main idea.

Step 2: Read the following paragraph, and choose the letter of the best answer. The main idea of the paragraph is in bold print. Your instructor will tell you whether to write your answers in your book or to submit your answers online for electronic grading.

Good leaders exercise their talent in several ways in order to influence others. One way to do that is to encourage group members to find a way to work together. Another way to influence people is to provide a practical plan with vision, rather than an inventory of complaints. A third way to influence people is to delegate tasks to competent people. Finally, effective leaders let go of their egos and listen to the ideas and suggestions of others and readily adopt new suggestions.

1. In general, the details of the passage are

a. famous good leaders.

b. ways good leaders influence people.

c. the importance of delegating tasks.

d. the importance of being a good listener if you want to be a good leader.

2. How many details are listed in the paragraph?

a. Two

b. Three

c. Four

d. Five

3. Transition words used to introduce the supporting details include all of the following except

a. first.

b. finally.

c. another.

d. third.

4. A key word from the main idea to help the reader determine the supporting details would be

a. ways.

b. reasons.

c. examples.

d. steps.

5. Which is not a supporting detail in the paragraph?

a. Good leaders provide a practical plan with vision.

b. A good leader has a good vocabulary and eloquent speech.

c. A good leader can delegate tasks to competent people.

d. Good leaders let go of their egos and listen to the ideas and suggestions of others and readily adopt new suggestions.