Chapter Outline

Study the chapter outline below. Use the page numbers below each topic to refer to the corresponding section in Contemporary's GED Language Arts, Reading. When you are finished, go to the Flashcards or choose a different activity or chapter from the menu on the left.

Comprehension

(See page 15)

Comprehension is the skill of understanding what a passage is directly saying.

Identifying the Main Idea

(See pages 15–23)

Every reading passage has a main idea:

It expresses the central message.
It tells what the passage is about.
It is the major point of a passage.

The topic sentence is the main idea of a paragraph within a passage. Below are tips for finding the topic sentence:

Read the entire paragraph.
Ask yourself, “What is the author writing about?” (This is the topic.)
Ask yourself, “What is the author saying about the topic?” (This is the main idea.)
Look for a sentence that generally states the main idea. (This is the topic sentence.)

The topic sentence is usually one of the following:

the first sentence of a paragraph
the last sentence of a paragraph
the middle sentence of a paragraph
suggested, but not stated directly in the paragraph

Recognizing Supporting Details

(See pages 23–30)

The main idea in a passage or the topic sentence in a paragraph is always backed up by supporting details:

They provide additional information that develops the main idea.
They are specific statements relating to the passage’s central message.
They provide a more complete picture of what the author is saying.

There are four types of supporting details:

1. Supporting examples

illustrate or explain the main idea
show the meaning of a general statement

2. Supporting reasons

describe a viewpoint, an opinion, or an action

3. Supporting facts

explain detailed information
explain accurate information
persuade readers to agree with the author
persuade readers to take a particular action

4. Supporting descriptions

help the reader visualize a person, place, object or event

Understanding a Word in Context

(See pages 31–33)

Context clues help the reader find the meaning of unfamiliar words or phrases by seeing how they are used in sentences and paragraphs.

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