4 Main Idea
• • • • • What is a main idea? What is a topic? How do you recognize the difference between general and specific ideas? What is a stated main idea? What is an unstated main idea? Everyday Reading Skills: Selecting a Book

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What Is a Main Idea?
The main idea of a passage is the core of the material, the particular point the author is trying to convey. The main idea of a passage can be stated in one sentence that condenses specific ideas or details in the passage into a general, allinclusive statement of the author’s message. In classroom discussions, all of the following words are sometimes used to help students understand the meaning of the main idea. thesis main point central focus gist controlling idea central thought Whether you read a single paragraph, a chapter, or an entire book, many experts agree that your most important single task is to understand the main idea of what you read.

Topic

Main Idea

Major Detail

Major Detail

Major Detail

Minor Detail

Minor Detail

Minor Detail

Minor Detail

Minor Detail

Recognize General and Specific Words
The first step in determining the main idea of a selection is to look at the specific ideas presented in the sentences and try to decide on a general topic or subject under which you can group these ideas. Before tackling sentences, begin with words. Pretend that the sentence ideas in a selection have been reduced to a short list of keywords. Pretend also that within the list is a general term that expresses an overall subject for the keywords. The general term encompasses or categorizes the key ideas and is considered the topic of the list.

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EXAMPLE

The following list contains three specific ideas with a related general topic. Circle the general term that could be considered the subject of the list.

neral Topic Ge

Detail Detail

Detail Detail

satin wool fabric silk EXPL ANATION Satin, wool, and silk are different types of fabric. Thus fabric is the general term or classification that could be considered the subject or topic.

exercise

1

Circle the general term or subject for each of the following related groups of ideas. 1. chimpanzees orangutans apes gorillas 2. cirrus clouds cumulus stratus 3. oats wheat corn grain 4. Alps Appalachians mountains Rockies 5. shrimp crustacean crab lobster

Recognize General and Specific Phrases
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Topics of passages are more often stated as phrases rather than single words. The following list contains a phrase that is a general topic and three specific ideas related to that topic. Circle the general topic that could be the subject.

EXAMPLE

Turn on the ignition. Press the accelerator. Insert the key. Start the car. EXPL ANATION The first three details are involved in starting a car. The last phrase is the general subject or topic.

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exercise

2

Circle the phrase that could be the topic for each list. 1. totaling yearly income subtracting for dependents filing an income tax return mailing a 1040 form 2. paying fees buying books starting college going to class 3. picking up seashells vacationing at the beach walking in the surf riding the waves 4. pushing paper under sticks piling the logs building a fire striking a match

exercise

3

Read the lists of specific details and write a general phrase that could be the subject or topic for each group. 1. separate the white and dark clothes add one cup of detergent insert quarters into the machine General topic? 2. dribble the ball pass the ball down court shoot a basket General topic? 3. pull up alongside car back into space straighten out General topic? 4. switch on power select a program open a file General topic? 5. boil water in a large pot add salt and oil pour noodles into water General topic?

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Recognize the General Topic for Sentences
Paragraphs are composed of sentences that develop a single general topic. The next practice exercises contain groups in which the sentences of a paragraph are listed numerically. After reading the sentences, circle the phrase that best expresses the topic or general subject of the sentences.

EXAMPLE

1. The law of demand is illustrated in an experiment conducted by the makers of M&M candy. 2. For a twelve-month period, the price of M&Ms remained the same in 150 stores, but the number of M&Ms in a package increased, which dropped the price per ounce. 3. In those stores, sales immediately rose by 20 to 30 percent. Candy Maker’s Experiment M&Ms Drop in Price M&Ms Prove the Law of Demand

EXPL ANATION The first phrase is too broad. The second relates a detail that is an important part of the experiment. The third links the candy with the purpose of the experiment and thus most accurately states the topic of the sentences.

exercise

4

Circle the phrase that best describes the topic or subject for each group of sentences.

Group 1
1. To provide a favorable climate for growing grapes, the winter temperature should not go below 15° F, and the summers should be long. 2. During the growing season, rainfall should be light. 3. A gentle movement of air is required to dry the vines after rains, dispel fog, and protect the vines from fungus disease. Protecting Grapes from Disease Appropriate Temperatures for Growing Grapes Appropriate Climate for Growing Grapes

Group 2
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1. For example, faced with fewer expansion opportunities within the United States, Wal-Mart opened new stores abroad and foreign sales reached $7.5 billion in three years. 2. As more and more companies engage in international business, the world is becoming a single, interdependent global economy. 3. In a plan to become a global giant, Chrysler, one of America’s apple pie auto companies, merged with Germany’s Daimler-Benz to become DaimlerChrysler. International Auto Mergers A Global Economy Wal-Mart Expansion

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Group 3
1. Oprah Winfrey’s success has placed her in the top 0.5 percent of the population that owns more than a quarter of the nation’s wealth. 2. Oprah’s entertainment enterprises earn her over $250 million a year. 3. Fortune magazine has listed Oprah as one of the 400 richest Americans. Rankings of Wealth The Richest Americans Oprah’s Financial Success

Group 4
1. Salsa, the popular blend of Latin American music, is also the word for sauce. 2. According to stories, the expression was contributed to the music world by a Cuban orchestra conductor. 3. While practicing a mambo that needed more life, the orchestra leader told his musicians to “echale salsita” or “throw in the sauce.” Latin American Salsa Music The Naming of Salsa Music Contribution of Salsa

Group 5
1. Simply drinking water is the best way to prevent dehydration from sweating. 2. Taking salt tablets before drinking water can dehydrate the body even more by extracting water from body tissue. 3. Plain water is better than beverages containing sugar or electrolytes because it is absorbed faster. Salt Tablets versus Water Value in Plain Water Preventing Dehydration

exercise

5

Read a group of three sentences, then write a phrase that best states the subject or general topic for the sentences.

Group 1
1. Psychologists conduct research with animals for several reasons. 2. Sometimes they simply want to know more about the behavior of a specific type of animal. 3. In other instances they want to see whether certain laws of behavior apply to both humans and animals. General topic?
—Psychology: Themes & Variations, Sixth Edition, by Wayne Weiten

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Group 2
1. Scientists think that a more reasonably defined danger level would mean that only 50,000 homes have radon concentrations that pose a danger to occupants. 2. Scientists outside the EPA have concluded that the standards the EPA is using are too stringent. 3. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regards 5 million American homes as having unacceptable radon levels in the air. General topic?

—Physical Geology, Fifth Edition, by David McGeary et al.

Group 3
1. They resist accepting a warm pink body as a corpse from which organs can be “harvested.” 2. The Japanese do not incorporate a mind–body split into their models of themselves; they locate personhood throughout the body rather than in the brain. 3. In Japan the concept of brain death is hotly contested, and organ transplants are rarely performed. General topic?
—Cultural Anthropology, Eleventh Edition, by William A. Haviland et al.

Recognize General and Supporting Sentences
Read the sentences in each of the following groups. The sentences are related to a single subject, with two of the sentences expressing specific support and one sentence expressing the general or main idea about the subject. Circle the number of the sentence that best expresses the general subject. Then read the three phrases and circle the one that best describes the subject of the sentences.

EXAMPLE

1. An accountant who prefers to work alone rather than as a team member may be an important part of the organization but will not become a leader. 2. A CEO who steers a company into increased profits but exhibits poor people skills by yelling at employees and refusing to listen will not keep her job. 3. Companies now demand of their top employees a high level of emotional intelligence (EI), which refers to skills in adaptability, self-control, conflict management, and teamwork. IQ No Longer Matters The Importance of Emotional Intelligence Polite Changes in the Workplace EXPL ANATION The third sentence best expresses the general subject. The other two sentences offer specific supporting ideas. The second phrase, “The Importance of Emotional Intelligence,” best describes the general subject of the material. The first phrase is not really suggested, and the last phrase is one of the details mentioned.

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exercise

6

Circle the number of the sentence that best expresses the general subject, the main idea. Then read the three topic phrases and circle the phrase that best describes the subject of the sentences.

Group 1
1. African American and Hispanic teens are not as likely to use tobacco as Caucasian adolescents. 2. Each day approximately three thousand teens start smoking, and eventually one third of them will die from smoking. 3. Despite the proven danger, in the past decade tobacco usage among teens has increased. Tobacco Usage Among Teens Dangers Face Teens Harms of Smoking

Group 2
1. Berry Gordy, an ex-boxer and Ford auto worker, borrowed $700 from his family and began to manufacture and sell his own records on the Hitsville USA (later called Motown, for “motor town”) label. 2. The next year Smokey Robinson and the Miracles recorded “Shop Around,” which was Gordy’s first million-copy hit. 3. Gordy signed an 11-year-old boy to record for him under the name of Stevie Wonder. Gordy’s Success Stevie Wonder at Motown The Recording Artists at Motown

Group 3
1. The czar’s wife believed that the devious and politically corrupt Rasputin, known as the “mad monk,” was the only one who could save her son. 2. The son of Nicholas II was afflicted with hemophilia, a condition in which the blood does not clot properly. 3. In Russia during the reign of Nicholas II, hemophilia played an important historical role. Rasputin’s Charm Hemophilia Influence of Hemophilia on Russia

Group 4
1. By 2000 the world’s population had moved past 6 billion people, and by 2050 it is expected to reach 9 billion. 2. The global statistics on population growth and the availability of food are alarming. 3. Biotechnologists estimate that the land available for raising crops will decrease by half in the next fifty years.

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Biotechnology and Agriculture Feeding the Poor Population Growth and Food Production

Group 5
1. The success of Norman Rockwell’s illustrations is based on his simple formula of drawing ordinary people doing ordinary things that make us laugh at ourselves.

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2. Rockwell used humor to poke fun at situations but never at people. 3. Rockwell painted the people and children of the neighborhood, first from real life, then, in later years, from photographs. Rockwell’s Neighborhood The Subjects of Rockwell’s Paintings Art from Photographs

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exercise

7

For each group of sentences, write a phrase that states the topic; then circle the number of the sentence that best expresses the main idea.

Group 1
1. Four hundred Navajos were recruited as marine radio operators, and the codes based on the Navajo language were never broken by the enemy. 2. During World War II, over 25,000 Native Americans served in the armed forces and made amazing contributions toward the war effort. 3. The most famous Indian GI was a Pima Indian, the marine Ira Hayes, who helped plant the American flag on Iwo Jima. General Topic?

Group 2
1. Germans view health as having several components. 2. Hard work, cleanliness, and staying warm aid in health maintenance. 3. Stress and germs as well as drafts, unhappiness, and a sedentary lifestyle are believed to cause illness. General topic?
—Culture in Rehabilitation, edited by Matin Royeen and Jeffrey L. Crabtree

Group 3
1. Logically, the probability of having a “good Samaritan” on the scene would seem to increase as group size increases. 2. When it comes to helping behavior, many studies have uncovered a puzzling situation called the bystander effect: People are less likely to provide needed help when they are in groups than when they are alone. 3. Evidence that your probability of getting help declines as group size increases was first described by John Darley and Bibb Latane, who were conducting research on helping behavior. General topic?
—Psychology: Themes & Variations, Sixth Edition, by Wayne Weiten

exercise

8

Each of the following sentence groups contains three specific supporting sentences. Write a general sentence that states the overall message for each group. In addition, write a phrase that briefly states the general topic of that sentence.

Group 1
1. The battered woman does not want to believe the man she loves is violent. 2. She doesn’t want to face the possibility that he may be violent for the rest of their lives together. 3. She wants to hold on to the hope that someday he will quit drinking and the relationship will change.
—Marriages and Families in a Diverse Society, by Robin Wolf

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General sentence stating the main idea?

General topic?

Group 2
1. Decades before Jamestown was hailed as the first permanent settlement in America, Pedro Menendez de Aviles founded St. Augustine in Florida. 2. Menendez brought 800 soldiers and colonists to establish this first European settlement in America and to protect the land for Spain. 3. St. Augustine, so named because the landing occurred in the month of August, became a permanent and prosperous Spanish settlement. General sentence stating the main idea?

General topic?

Group 3
1. A big fear of banks and companies interested in introducing smart cards and digital cash has been the supposedly unsophisticated U.S. consumer. 2. Since the late 1990s, however, elementary school children in Westport, Connecticut, have been using smart cards to buy lunch at the school cafeteria. 3. Clearly, it doesn’t take grown-up smarts to use smart cards.
—Economics Today, 2001–2002 Edition, by Roger Leroy Miller

General sentence stating the main idea?

General topic?

Differentiate Topic, Main Idea, and Supporting Details
We have said that a topic is a word or phrase that describes the subject or general category of a group of specific ideas. Frequently, the topic is stated as the title of a passage. The main idea, in contrast, is a complete sentence that states the topic and adds the writer’s position or focus on the topic. The supporting details are the specifics that develop the topic and main idea. Read the following example from a textbook paragraph and label the topic, the main idea, and a supporting detail.

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EXAMPLE

The Body Signaling Feeling Some signals of body language, like some facial expressions, seem to be “spoken” universally. When people are depressed, it shows in their walk, stance, and head position.
—Psychology, by Carole Wade and Carol Tavris

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EXPL ANATION The first item is general enough to be the topic. The second item is a sentence that expresses the writer’s point about the topic, and so it is the main idea. The third item is a specific example, so it is a detail.

exercise

9

Compare the items within each group and indicate which is the topic (T), the main idea (MI), and the specific supporting detail (D).

Group 1
1. Much in this American document comes from England’s Magna Carta, which was signed in 1215. 2. British Roots in American Government 3. The American Constitution has its roots in the power of past documents.

Group 2
1. Children are highly valued in African American families. 2. Valuing Children 3. Like Latinos, African Americans view “children as wealth,” believing that children are important in adding enjoyment and fulfillment to life.
—Marriage and Families in a Diverse Society, by Robin Wolf

Group 3
1. The Fate of Mexican Americans 2. Some conquered Mexicans welcomed the Americans; many others, recognizing the futility of resistance, responded to the American conquest with ambivalence. 3. The 80,000 Mexicans who lived in the Southwest did not respond to the Mexican War with a single voice.
—America and Its People, Third Edition, by James Martin et al.

Group 4
1. Her early research led to an understanding of how viruses infect the plant and destroy its tissues. 2. Esau’s Early Career with Beets 3. Sugar beets played a major role in the career of Dr. Katherine Esau, one of this century’s most productive plant scientists.
—Biology: Concepts and Connections, Fourth Edition, by Neil Campbell, et al.

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Group 5
1. Discrimination Against Women in Higher Education 2. Harvard, for example, was one of the last to give up sex discrimination and began admitting women to its graduate business program only in 1963. 3. In general, the more prestigious the educational institutions, the more strongly they discriminated against women.
—Sociology, Third Edition, by Alex Thio

Differentiate Distractors in Main Idea Test Items
To gain insight into recognizing a correctly stated topic, categorizing incorrect responses to main idea questions can be helpful. When stating the topic or main idea of a passage, it is easy to make the mistake of creating a phrase or a sentence that is either too broad or too narrow. The same two types of errors occur when students answer main idea questions on standardized tests. A phrase that is too broad is too general and thus would suggest the inclusion of much more than is stated in the passage. A phrase that is too narrow is a detail within the passage. It may be an interesting and eye-catching detail, but it is not the subject of the passage.

EXAMPLE

After reading the following passage, decide which of the suggested titles is correct (C), too broad (TB), or a detail (D).
One interesting research finding shows that listeners can accurately judge the socioeconomic status (whether high, middle, or low) of speakers from 60-second voice samples. In fact, many listeners reported that they made their judgments in fewer than 15 seconds. Speakers judged to be of high status were also rated as being of higher credibility than speakers rated middle and low in status. Listeners can also judge with considerable accuracy the emotional states of speakers from vocal expressions. —Human Communication, Sixth Edition, by Joseph DeVito

1. Importance of Voice
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2. Speaking 3. Making Judgments by Voice 4. Emotional States of Speakers

EXPL ANATION The third response most accurately describes the topic of the passage. The first two are too broad and would include much more than is in the paragraph. The last response is a detail that is part of one of the experiments with listeners.

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exercise

10

Read the passage and label the suggested titles for the passage as correct (C), too broad (TB), or a detail (D).

Passage 1
In California, Mexican Americans were outnumbered and vulnerable to discrimination. During the early years of the Gold Rush, Mexican Americans were robbed, beaten, and lynched with impunity. The 1850 Foreign Miners’ Tax imposed a $20 a month tax on Mexican American miners, even though the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo had granted them citizenship. Many Mexicans were forced to sell land to pay onerous taxes that fell heaviest on the Spanish speakers. —America and Its People, Third Edition, by James Martin, et al.

1. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 2. Discrimination 3. Foreign Miners’ Tax During the Gold Rush 4. Discrimination Against Mexican Americans in California

Passage 2
Humpback whales strain their food from seawater. Instead of teeth, these giants have an array of brushlike plates called baleen on each side of their upper jaw. The baleen is used to sift food from the ocean. To start feeding, a humpback whale opens its mouth, expands its throat, and takes a huge gulp of seawater. When its mouth closes, the water squeezes out through spaces in the baleen, and a mass of food is trapped in the mouth. The food is then swallowed whole, passing into the stomach, where digestion begins. The humpback’s stomach can hold about half a ton of food at a time, and in a typical day, the animal’s digestive system will process as much as 2 tons of krill and fish. —Biology: Concepts and Connections, Fourth Edition, by Neil Campbell, et al.

1. Humpback Whales 2. Baleen for Teeth 3. The Digestive System of the Humpback Whale 4. How Whales Filter Food

Passage 3
Tar and nicotine are not the only harmful chemicals in cigarettes. In fact, tars account for only 8 percent of tobacco smoke. The remaining 92 percent consists of various gases, the most dangerous of which is carbon monoxide. In tobacco smoke, the concentration of carbon monoxide is 800 times higher than the level considered safe by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In the human body, carbon monoxide reduces the oxygen-carrying capacity of the red blood cells by binding with the receptor sites for oxygen. This causes oxygen deprivation in many body tissues. —Health: the Basics, Fifth Edition, by Rebecca J. Donatelle

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1. Carbon Monoxide 2. Harmful Tars and Nicotine 3. Carbon Monoxide Dangers from Smoking 4. Tobacco and Smoking

Questioning for the Main Idea
To determine the main idea of a body of material, ask questions in the following three basic areas. (The order may vary according to how much you already know about the subject.) Usually, you decide on the general topic first, sometimes from the title and sometimes by considering the details. If you are familiar with the material, constructing a main idea may seem almost automatic. If the material is unfamiliar, however, you may need to connect the key thoughts to formulate a topic and then create your main idea statement.

1. Establish the Topic
Question: Who or what is this about? What general word or phrase identifies the subject? The topic should be broad enough to include all the ideas, but narrow enough to focus on the direction of the details. For example, identifying the topic of an article, such as “College Costs,” “Change in College,” or “Changing to Cut College Costs,” might all be correct, but the last may be the most pointed and descriptive for the article.

2. Identify the Key Supporting Terms
Question: What are the important details? Look at the details that seem significant to see if they point in a particular direction. What aspect of the subject do they address? What seems to be the common message? In a passage on college costs, the details might describe benefits of larger classes, telecommunication networks, and video instruction. A common thread is that each idea relates to changes targeted at cutting the costs of college instruction.

3. Focus on the Message of the Topic
Question: What main idea is the author trying to convey about the topic?
This statement should be:
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• A complete sentence • Broad enough to include the important details, and • Focused enough to describe the author’s slant
In the example about cutting college costs, the main idea might be “Several colleges experiment with ways to cut costs.”

Stated Main Ideas
Research shows that readers comprehend better when the main idea is directly stated, particularly when it is stated at the beginning of a passage. Such an initial main idea statement, thesis statement, or topic sentence is a signpost for

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readers, briefing them on what to expect. This thesis or main idea statement provides an overview of the author’s message and connects the supporting details. Read the following example and use the three-step method to determine the main idea.

EXAMPLE

Polygraph tests have been viewed as an invasion of privacy and criticized on ethical, legal, and scientific grounds. The physiological changes thought to reveal deception could result from anxiety about being interrogated, anger at being asked to take the test, or fear from pondering the consequences of “failing” the test. You might react in any of these ways if you were “hooked up” to a polygraph. —Psychology, by Stephen F. Davis and Joseph J. Palladino

1. Who or what is the topic of this passage? 2. Underline the key terms. 3. What point is the author trying to make?

EXPL ANATION The topic of this passage is “Polygraph Tests.” The details give specifics about how physiological changes caused by anxiety, anger, or fear can show up the same way on a polygraph test as a lie response. The author states the main idea in the first sentence. Textbook authors do not always state the main idea in the first sentence. Stated main ideas may be the beginning, middle, or concluding sentence of a passage. Therefore, do not think of stating the main idea only as a search for a particular sentence. Instead, rely on your own skill in answering the three questions about topic, details, and focus. Connect the details to form your own concept of the main idea, and, if a specific sentence in the paragraph restates it, you will recognize it as the main idea.

exercise

11

Apply the three-question technique to identify the topic, key terms, and main idea of the following passages, all of which have stated main ideas.

Passage 1
To gain a better idea of what social structure is, think of college football. You probably know the various positions on the team: center, guards, tackles, ends, quarterback, running backs, and the like. Each is a status; that is, each is a social position. For each of these statuses, there is a role; that is, each of these positions has certain expectations attached to it. The center is expected to snap the ball, the quarterback to pass it, the guards to block, the tackles to tackle or block, the ends to receive passes, and so on. Those role

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expectations guide each player’s actions; that is, the players try to do what their particular role requires. —From James M. Henslin, Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach, 7th ed. © 2007 (excerpt from page 96). Reproduced by permission of Pearson Education, Inc.

1. Who or what is the topic of this passage?

2. Underline the key terms. 3. What point is the author trying to make?

Passage 2
Many foods and beverages are produced with the help of microbial fermentation. Lactic acid bacteria are used in the production of acidophilus milk, yogurt, pickles, olives, and sauerkraut. Several types of bacteria are used to produce cheese. Bacteria are involved in making fermented meats such as salami and in the production of vinegar, soy sauce, chocolate, and certain B vitamins (B12 and riboflavin). Bacteria are also used in the production of citric acid, a compound added to candy and to most soft drinks. —From Solomon, Berg, and Martin, Biology (with InfoTrac), 6th ed, © 2002 Brooks/Cole, a part of Cengage Learning, Inc. Reproduced by permission. www.cengage.com/permissions

1. Who or what is the topic of this passage? 2. Underline the key terms. 3. What point is the author trying to make?

Passage 3
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Today, many prosecutors, judges, and even mental health experts believe in the need for a verdict of “guilty but insane.” Under this provision, if a person uses the insanity defense but a judge or jury finds the evidence insufficient for legal insanity, they can return a verdict of guilty but mentally ill. This indicates that the defendant is suffering from an emotional disorder severe enough to influence behavior but insufficient to render him or her insane. After such a finding, the court can impose any sentence it could have used on the crime charge. The convicted defendant is sent to prison, where the correctional authorities are required to provide therapeutic treatment. If the mental illness is cured,

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Main Idea the offender is returned to the regular prison population to serve out the remainder of the sentence. —Introduction to Criminal Justice, Ninth Edition, by Joseph J. Senna and Larry J. Siegel

1. Who or what is the topic of this passage? 2. Underline the key terms. 3. What point is the author trying to make?

Passage 4
From the very beginning television ratings have been criticized for factors other than the small number of homes used in their computation. More important questions have to do with what ratings are measuring in the first place and how the results are used. Audimeter ratings did not measure whether anyone was actually watching at a given time. Its replacement technology, the peoplemeter, also has limitations. Punch-in protocols for nonfamily members are sufficiently complex that many users simply fail to acknowledge the presence of additional viewers, or they substitute a family member’s code for the guest code. The diary is flawed as well; its value is dependent on the active involvement of viewers. Lack of interest, forgetfulness, and lying can and do occur. Equally important, diaries offer viewers no opportunity to comment on likes and dislikes. —From Stanley J. Baran, Introduction to Mass Communication, Third Edition. Copyright © 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies. Reprinted by permission of The McGraw-HIll Companies.

1. Who or what is the topic of this passage?

2. Underline the key terms. 3. What point is the author trying to make?

Passage 5
Six Flags is a world-renowned theme park. The company owns and operates thirty-eight different parks spread out over North America, Latin America, and Europe. Locations include Mexico City, Belgium, France, Spain, Germany, and most major metropolitan areas in the United States. In fact, having a park in forty of the fifty major metropolitan

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areas in the United States has earned Six Flags the title of world’s largest regional theme park company. Annually, more than 50 million visitors are reported to entertain themselves at Six Flags theme parks worldwide. The company prides itself in claiming that 98 percent of the U.S. population is within an 8-hour drive to any one of the numerous Six Flags theme parks. —Introduction to Hospitality, Fourth Edition, by John R. Walker

1. Who or what is the topic of this passage? 2. Underline the key terms. 3. What point is the author trying to make?

Passage
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Colleges and universities are denying access to third party credit card marketers in increasing numbers. There were 22 campuses that disallowed the practice in 1988. That number has increased dramatically and is expected to cross 400 in the next couple of years. Private sources that monitor college credit card marketing (College Marketing Intelligence) contend that the number is much higher, estimating that 750 to 1000 college campuses have already banned on-campus credit card marketing. —Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Marketing, edited by Barton Macchiette and Abhijit Roy

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1. Who or what is the topic of this passage?

2. Underline the key terms. 3. What point is the author trying to make?

Unstated Main Ideas
Research shows that only about half of the paragraphs in textbooks have directly stated main ideas. This should not be a problem if you understand the three-question technique for locating the main idea. The questions guide you in forming your own statement so that you are not dependent on finding a line in the text. When the main idea is not directly stated, it is said to be implied, which means it is suggested in the thoughts that are revealed. In this case, the author has presented a complete idea, but for reasons of style and impact has chosen not to express it concisely in one sentence. As a reader, it is your job to systematically connect the details and focus the message. In the following passage the main idea is not stated, but it may be determined by answering the three questions that follow.

EXAMPLE

In Australia and Belgium, nonvoters are subject to fines; not only the fine itself but the clear expectation that everyone is legally required to vote helps generate 90+ percent turnout rates. In Italy, nonvoters are not fined, but “Did Not Vote” is stamped on their identification papers, threatening nonvoters with the prospect of unsympathetic treatment at the hands of public officials should they get into trouble or need help with a problem. —The New American Democracy, Election Update Edition, by Morris Fiorina and Paul Peterson

1. Who or what is the topic of this passage? (This gives you the general topic or heading.) 2. What are the key terms or details?

3. What idea is the author trying to convey about nonvoting?

(This is the main idea the author is trying to communicate.) EXPL ANATION The sentence stating the main idea might very well have been the first, middle, or last sentence of the paragraph. Having it stated, however, was not necessary for understanding the passage. In many cases, readers spend time searching for a single sentence that encapsulates the meaning rather than digesting the information and forming ideas. Instead, answer these three questions: “Who or what is this about?” “What are the key terms?” and “What point is

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the author trying to make?” This passage is about penalties for not voting. The key terms are “giving fines in Australia and Belgium, and stamping ‘Did Not Vote’ on identification papers in Italy.” The author’s main idea is that in “some countries nonvoters are penalized to encourage voting.” Apply the three-question technique to determine the main idea.

exercise

12

Passage 1
Marilyn, a Southwest Airlines flight attendant, takes the mike as her plane backs away from the Houston terminal. “Could y’all lean in a little toward the center aisle please?” she chirps in an irresistible Southern drawl. “Just a bit, please. That’s it. No, the other way, sir. Thanks.” Baffled passengers comply even though they have no idea why. “You see,” says Marilyn at last, “the pilot has to pull out of this space here, and he needs to be able to check the rearview mirrors.” Only when the laughter subsides does Marilyn launch into the standard aircraft safety speech that many passengers usually ignore. —Business Essentials, Third Edition, by Ronald Ebert and Ricky Griffin

1. Who or what is the topic of this passage? 2. Underline the key terms. 3. What point is the author trying to make?

Passage 2
Children have more taste buds than adults do, which may explain why they are often so picky about eating “grown-up” foods. Even among adults, individuals differ in their sensitivity to taste. Indeed, recent studies have shown that people can be divided into one of three groups: nontasters, medium tasters, and supertasters. Compared to most,
Copyright ©2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

supertasters use only half as much sugar or saccharin in their coffee or tea. They also suffer more oral burn from eating the active ingredient in chili peppers. Using videomicroscopy to count the number of taste buds on the tongue, researchers have found that nontasters have an average of 96 taste buds per square centimeter, medium tasters have 184, and supertasters have 425. —Psychology, Second Edition, by Saul Kassin

1. Who or what is the topic of this passage? 2. Underline the key terms.

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3. What point is the author trying to make?

Passage 3
If the person is extremely important, you had better be there early just in case he or she is able to see you ahead of schedule. As the individual’s status decreases, it is less important for you to be on time. Students, for example, must be on time for conferences with teachers, but it is more important to be on time for deans and still more important to be on time for the president of the college. Teachers, on the other hand, may be late for conferences with students but not for conferences with deans or the president. Deans, in turn, may be late for teachers but not for the president. Business organizations and other hierarchies have similar rules. —Human Communication, Sixth Edition, by Joseph DeVito

1. Who or what is the topic of this passage?

2. Underline the key terms. 3. What point is the author trying to make?

Passage 4
In his book Bridges, Not Walls, John Stewart dramatically illustrates the case of the famous “Wild Boy of Aveyron,” who spent his early childhood without any apparent human contact. The boy was discovered in January 1800 while digging for vegetables in a French village garden. He showed no behaviors one would expect in a social human. The boy could not speak but uttered only unrecognizable cries. More significant than this absence of social skills was his lack of any identity as a human being. As author Roger Shattuck put it, “The boy had no human sense of being in the world. He had no sense of himself as a person related to other persons.” Only after the influence of a loving “mother” did the boy begin to behave—and, we can imagine, think of himself as a human. In 1970, authorities discovered a twelve-year-old girl (whom they called “Genie”) who had spent virtually all her life in an otherwise empty, darkened bedroom with almost no human contact. The child could not speak and had no sense of herself as a person until she was removed from her family and ”nourished” by a team of caregivers. —Understanding Human Communication, Eighth Edition, by Ronald B. Adler and George Rodman

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1. Who or what is the topic of this passage?

2. Underline the key terms. 3. What point is the author trying to make?

Passage 5
A mother had a son who threw temper tantrums: lying on the floor, pounding his fists, kicking his legs, and whining for whatever he wanted. One day while in a supermarket he threw one of his temper tantrums. In a moment of desperation, the mother dropped to the floor, pounded her fists, kicked her feet, and whined, “I wish you’d stop throwing temper tantrums! I can’t stand it when you throw temper tantrums!” By this time, the son had stood up. He said in a hushed tone, “Mom, there are people watching! You’re embarrassing me!” The mother calmly stood up, brushed off the dust, and said in a clear, calm voice, ”That’s what you look like when you’re throwing a temper tantrum.” Sometimes, traditional approaches such as bribing, threatening, ignoring, or giving in seem so natural that we overlook the possibility that something different, such as embarrassment, might work too. —The Creative Problem Solver’s Toolbox, by Richard Fobes

1. Who or what is the topic of this passage?

2. Underline the key terms. 3. What point is the author trying to make?

exercise
Copyright ©2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

13

In some of the following passages the main ideas are stated. In others they are implied. Avoid simply searching for a sentence that states the main idea. Instead, apply the three-step method that you have learned and practiced throughout this chapter to determine the author’s main point.

Passage 1
God’s message to Muhammad in the form of the Qur’an (a “reciting”) was clear: The Prophet is to warn his people against worship of false gods and all immorality, especially injustice to the poor, orphans, widows and women in general. At the end of time, on Judgment Day, every person will be bodily resurrected to face eternal punishment in hellfire or eternal joy in paradise, according to how he or she has lived. The way to paradise

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Main Idea lies in gratitude to God for the bounties of creation, his prophetic and revelatory guidance, and his readiness to forgive the penitent. Social justice and obedient worship of the one Lord are required of every person. Each is to recognize his or her creatureliness and God’s transcendence. The proper response is “submission” (islam) to God’s will, becoming muslim (“submissive” or surrendering”) in one’s worship and morality. —The Heritage of World Civilizations Combined Edition, Sixth Edition, by Albert Craig, William Graham, Donald Kagan, Steven Ozment, and Frank Turner

1. Who or what is the topic of this paragraph?

2. Underline the key details. 3. Select the best statement of the main idea of the passage. a. The word “Qur’an” means a reciting, and “islam” means submission. b. God warned people against worship of false gods. c. Muhammad was a prophet who received a message from God that became known as the Qur’an. d. God’s message to Muhammad was that he must tell people that the way to paradise is to live with concern for justice and submission to God.

Passage 2
The two most prominent centers of civilization—and the focus of this chapter—were Mesoamerica, in what is today Mexico and Central America, and the Andean region of South America. Both regions have a long, rich history of civilization that reaches back thousands of years. At the time of the European conquest of the Americas in the sixteenth century both regions were dominated by powerful expansionist empires—the Aztecs, or Mexica, in Mesoamerica, and the Inca in the Andes. In both regions Spanish conquerors obliterated the native empires and nearly succeeded in obliterating native culture. But in both, Native American traditions have endured overlaid and combined in complex ways with Hispanic culture, to provide clues to the pre-Hispanic past. —The Heritage of World Civilizations Combined Edition, Sixth Edition, by Albert Craig, William Graham, Donald Kagan, Steven Ozment, and Frank Turner

1. Who or what is the topic of this paragraph?

2. Underline the key details.

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3. Select the best statement of the main idea of the passage. a. The important, ancient cultures centered in Mesoamerica and the Andean region of south America produced recognizable traditions that are still visible today. b. The European conquest destroyed the Aztec and Inca civilizations. c. Mesoamerica was what is known as Mexico and Central America today. d. The Aztecs lived in Mesoamerica.

Passage 3
One hallmark of Chinese history is its striking continuity of culture, language, and geography. The Shang and Chou dynasties were centered in north China along the Yellow River or its tributary, the Wei. The capitals of China’s first empire were in exactly the same areas, and north China would remain China’s political center through history to the present. If Western civilization had experienced similar continuity, it would have progressed from Thebes in the valley of the Nile to Athens on the Nile; Rome on the Nile; and then, in time, to Paris, London, and Berlin on the Nile; and each of these centers of civilization would have spoken Egyptian and written in Egyptian hieroglyphics. —The Heritage of World Civilizations Combined Edition, Sixth Edition, by Albert Craig, William Graham, Donald Kagan, Steven Ozment, and Frank Turner

1. Who or what is the topic of this paragraph?

2. Underline the key details. 3. Select the best statement of the main idea of the passage. a. Western civilization began in Thebes in the valley of the Nile. b. China’s first imperial capitals were in North China along the Yellow River and the Wei River. c. Chinese history has been amazingly consistent in its geography. d. Chinese and Western civilizations have developed in much the same way.

Passage 4
Copyright ©2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

One of the most important things to realize about the restaurant industry is that you can’t do it alone. Each person in your operation has to work together for you to be successful. The most important ingredient in managing people is to respect them. Many words can be used to describe a manager (coach, supervisor, boss, mentor), but whatever term is used, you have to be in the game to be effective. Managing a kitchen is like coaching a football team—everyone must work together to be effective. The difference between a football team and a kitchen is that chefs/managers cannot supervise from the sidelines; they have to be in the game. One of my favorite examples of excellent people management skills is that of the general manager of a hotel who had the ware-washing

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Main Idea team report directly to him. When asked why, he indicated that they are the people who know what is being thrown in the garbage, they are the people who know what the customers are not eating, and they are the people most responsible for the sanitation and safety of an operation. There are many components to managing people—training, evaluating, nurturing, delegating, and so on—but the most important is respect. —Introduction to Hospitality, Fifth Edition, by John Walker

1. Who or what is the topic of this paragraph?

2. Underline the key details. 3. Select the best statement of the main idea of the passage. a. Managing a kitchen is like coaching a football team. b. To be successful a restaurant manager must develop a team in which respect is the key ingredient. c. The people with the least-skilled jobs often know what the customers like and don’t like. d. One hotel manager had the ware-washing team report directly to him.

Passage 5
Employability traits are those skills that focus on attitude, passion, initiative, dedication, sense of urgency, and dependability. These traits are not always traits that can be taught, but a good chef can demonstrate them by example. Most of the employers with job opportunities for students consider these skills to be more important than technical skills. The belief is that if you have strong employability traits, your technical skills will be strong. —Introduction to Hospitality, Fifth Edition, by John Walker

1. Who or what is the topic of this paragraph? 2. Underline the key details. 3. Select the best statement of the main idea of the passage. a. b. c. d. Attitude is an important employability trait. Employability traits are often more important than technical skills. A good chef can teach by example. Employers like to employ students.

Getting the Main Idea of Longer Selections
Because of the great quantity of material included in a book, understanding the main idea of longer selections such as chapters and articles seems more difficult than understanding a single paragraph. Longer selections have several major ideas contributing to the main point and many paragraphs of supporting details. To pull the ideas together under one central theme, an additional step is necessary: Simplifying the material by organizing paragraphs or pages into manageable subsections and then deciding how each subsection contributes to the whole.

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The following questions can help you determine the central theme for a longer selection. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. What is the significance of the title? What does the title suggest about the topic? How do the first paragraphs suggest the topic or thesis? Under what subsections can the paragraphs and ideas be grouped? How do these subsections support the whole? What is the overall topic? What point is the author trying to convey?

Personal

Feedback 1

Name

1. Describe the theme or main idea of a movie that you have seen recently, one that you liked, and give reasons for your positive evaluation.
Movie Title: Theme or Main Idea: Reasons for Positive Evaluation:

2. Was there anything you did not understand about the main idea? 3. This chapter includes a longer reading selection on sleep. Approximately how many hours of sleep do you get each night? 4. What time do you usually go to bed? 5. What time do you get up? 6. Breakfast sends an early supply of glucose to the brain. When do you eat breakfast, and what do you eat for breakfast? 7. Typically what, when, and where do you eat the other meals of the day?
Lunch: Dinner:

8. Exercise is recommended to reduce stress. What exercise do you get on a regular basis, and when do you do it?
Copyright ©2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

9. Do you typically go out on weeknights? If so, typically when and where do you go?

10. Evaluate your energy level and concentration ability.

Tear out and submit to your instructor.

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exercise

14

Search the Internet for articles on dreaming. Select an article that interests you, and on a separate sheet of paper, provide answers to the six questions pertaining to getting the main idea of longer reading selections on page 143.

➤

What words are typically used to name the main idea? The main idea is also called the thesis, main point, central focus, gist, controlling idea, and central thought. How do topics and details differ? The topic is the general subject, and the details are the specific supporting ideas. What questions do you ask to find the topic of a passage? Ask “Who or what is the subject?” What questions do you ask to find the main idea of a passage? Ask “What point is the author trying to make?” How do stated and unstated main ideas differ? A stated main idea is a sentence within the passage. An unstated main idea is implied or suggested by thoughts revealed but not directly stated. How do you get the main idea of longer selections? Break the material into subsections and determine how they support the whole.

➤ ➤ ➤ ➤

➤

Form a five-member group and select one of the following questions. Brainstorm and then outline your major points on a transparency. Choose a member to present the group findings to the class.
➤ Why is prior knowledge the best single predictor of reading comprehension? ➤ Why is comprehension better when the main idea is stated at the beginning of a test

passage?
➤ Describe a passage that you might write that would have the main idea stated at

the end.
➤ Why should the main idea of a passage be stated in a sentence rather than a

phrase? Give examples.

My ReadingLab (MRL) www.myreadinglab.com
➤ To practice the ideas and skills introduced in this chapter, go to the “Main Idea” mod-

ule in the Skills section of MRL. To practice general reading comprehension, use the Levels section.

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“When I look back, I am so impressed again with the life-giving power of literature. If I were a young person today, trying to gain a sense of myself in the world, I would do that again by reading, just as I did when I was young.” —MAYA ANGELOU Reading widely for pleasure can certainly enrich one’s sense of self. Imagine the experiences available through books that may never be possible, or even desirable, for us to actually do. Traveling the world, seeing how other people think and behave, experiencing things we may never do otherwise—all of these help us see ourselves more clearly. (You may want to read something by Maya Angelou, well-known American author and poet. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, A Song Flung Up to Heaven, and Even the Stars Look Lonesome are three of her many books.)

Think about it, talk about it, write about it:
Whether you are reading fiction or nonfiction, consider what you have learned from your book:
➤

Why do you think a character acted like he or she did? Would you have done the same? ➤ What have you learned about a particular place or time period? ➤ Have you gained insights into a field of study or career? ➤ Have you learned new facts? How might you apply this new knowledge? Your instructor might ask you to consider these questions or others in a Reading Workshop journal.

Copyright ©2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

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selection

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selection

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Psychology
“Dreams say what they mean, but they don’t say it in daytime language.” Gail Godwin

In studies conducted worldwide, modern dream scientists have found that dreams vary according to age, gender, and culture. Women tend to have more dreams of children, whereas men dream more of aggression, weapons, and tools. Americans are frequently embarrassed by nakedness in dreams, but such dreams rarely occur in cultures of people wearing fewer clothes. Mexican American college students dream of death more often than do Anglo American students, perhaps because death is more a part of life in Latin American cultures. The findings of such crosscultural research supports the hypothesis that dreams reflect life events that are important to the dreamer.

THINKING BEFORE READING
Preview for content, activate your schema, and anticipate what you will learn. Did you dream last night? What dream or dreams have you had recently? Can you explain the meaning of any of your dreams? I think this reading will tell me .

VOCABULARY PREVIEW
Are you familiar with these words? unconscious idling paradox depriving convenient ascribed symbolizes critical bullied synchronized

Which word has the same root as chronological? What is the definition of the prefix in unconscious? Is the phrase “jumbo shrimp” a paradox?
Your instructor may choose to give a true-false vocabulary review before or after reading.

THINKING DURING READING
As you read, use the six thinking strategies of a good reader: predict, picture, relate, monitor, correct, and annotate.

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Reading and Studying Psychology
• Seek to understand abstract terms and confusing concepts through the concrete examples that illustrate them.

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• Relate psychological theories to yourself and visualize people you know as examples.

• Memorize key terms with definitions and examples, especially for multiple-choice tests.

• Test yourself by turning each boldface heading into a question, and recite your answer.

• Because much of psychology is about theories, connect the names of researchers with their theories. Learn characteristics and examples for each theory. • Compare and contrast theories. For example, how do the social learning theorists differ from the behaviorists? • Reduce your notes to visual diagrams. For example, to study personality theories, draw charts to list the comparative elements.

SLEEPING

AND

DREAMING

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Copyright ©2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

20

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The time when we are most obviously unconscious is when we are asleep. Yet we have dreams during that time. This implies that something is going on in our brain. Is all sleep the same? Are there stages in sleep? When do humans dream? How can you tell if a person is dreaming? Why do people have dreams, anyway? These are the questions to be answered in this section. Researchers have learned more about sleep and dreaming in the past twenty-five years than in all of history up to that time. One major reason for this is the discovery that when people are asleep there are changes in the activity of their brain and eyes. These changes can be recorded. Beth Smith lies down to sleep after a hard day. She drifts off. At first she is in a light kind of sleep. Her brain waves, if recorded on a brain-wave machine, show a pattern that is definitely different than when she is awake. After less than an hour, two things happen to Beth. Her brain waves change, so that they now look pretty much the way they do when she is awake. Yet she is still asleep. Also, although her eyelids are closed, her eyes begin to move about rapidly under the lids. This lasts for twenty minutes. Then Beth returns to the sleep of easy brain waves and no eye movement. Basically, there are two kinds of sleep. One is Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. In this, the brain waves are similar to those of a waking person, and the eyes move about rapidly under the closed lids. The other kind of sleep is Non-Rapid Eye Movement sleep. You can guess what that’s like, right? Stop for a moment and describe REM and non-REM sleep to yourself. REM sleep is also called paradoxical sleep. A paradox is something that seems contradictory within itself. What is the paradox about REM sleep? That the sleeper’s brain waves would lead you to believe the person is awake, but in fact the person is asleep. Now, the interesting thing is this. Suppose Beth is showing non-REM sleep. We wake her up and say: “Wake up, Beth! What are you dreaming?” “Uh ... nothing,” Beth mumbles.

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Disappointed, we let her go back to sleep. Later on, Beth begins to show REM sleep. Again, we wake her up. “What are you dreaming, Beth?” 30 “Uh . . . this man has ridden a camel into Mom’s office. It’s too big. The camel fills up the whole office. The man riding him is an Arab.” She goes on with her dream. Dreaming happens mainly in REM sleep. This is very convenient for researchers. They get volunteers to sleep in a bed in the laboratory. An electronic sensing device that registers eye movement is placed on the eyelids of the volunteers. Thus the researcher can tell 35 exactly when the volunteer is showing REM sleep. “Wake up, volunteer! What are you dreaming?” WHAT HAS BEEN LEARNED ABOUT DREAMING? Everyone dreams about 20 percent of the time they are sleeping—that is, they show REM sleep about that much. Even people who say they never dream show about 20 percent REM sleep. If these “nondreamers” do their sleeping in a laboratory where the researcher 40 can wake them up, it turns out that they dream as much as others. They just don’t remember the dreams in the morning, perhaps because memories for dreams fade fast and they are slow waking up. People go back and forth between REM and non-REM sleep during the night. If something happens in their environment while they are sleeping, people may fit this into 45 the dream. Did you ever have the experience of someone calling you in the morning, but at first you thought it was part of a dream? Events in daily life sometimes occur in symbolic form in dreams. For example, a boy was having a lot of difficulty on the school playground because a bigger boy kept bullying him. That night the smaller boy dreamed of being alone and unarmed in the African 50 grass country, facing a lion. The lion symbolizes the bully. At other times the dreaded event from daily life simply occurs in a dream in its real-life form—the boy dreams of being bullied by the bigger boy. How and when dream symbols are used is not yet understood.

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Do people actually need to dream? Or is it just the brain “idling its motor”? It’s possible that dreams are unimportant, just an accidental part of REM sleep. One experimenter waked volunteers each time they started REM sleep. This meant that he was also depriving them of their dreams. When they showed non-REM sleep, he let them sleep on. Notice that by itself this experiment wouldn’t prove much, even if effects did occur. Why? Because the effects might result from just being waked up all the time, rather than from just not being allowed to dream. The experimenters realized this, so they used a second group of volunteers. These were waked exactly as much as the first group, but no attention was paid to whether it was REM or non-REM sleep. Thus any differences could be ascribed to lack of REM sleep periods in the one group. There were differences. People who were deprived of most of their REM sleep for three nights in a row became irritable and somewhat disrupted in their actions. When on the fourth night they were allowed to sleep on, so they could have REM sleep, they had it about 30 percent of the time instead of the usual 20 percent. Apparently they were “catching up” on their REM sleep. It looks as though people do, indeed, need REM sleep. The critical question is: Is it the REM sleep that they need or the dreams? Do we have REM sleep because it brings dreaming, or is dreaming just an accidental aspect of the needed REM sleep? We don’t know. Why do people dream, then? We don’t know that either. It does seem that REM sleep is necessary. But are dreams? What do they accomplish? Some theorists have suggested that we use dreaming to solve emotional problems, some have suggested that memories are stored in the brain during sleep time and dream time. Some even suggest this is a way of keeping our two eyes synchronized. Tomorrow we may know the answer. The discovery of rapid eye movements during dreaming has opened up the world of dreams for research. Notice that the researchers here do something interesting. They go from an observable behavior—the eye movements—to an internal condition—the dream. The discovery of REM sleep helps bridge the gap between mental processes and the outside world.
(1,124 words)

selection

WHY DO WE DREAM?

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—Psychology: What It Is/How to Use It, by David Watson

THINKING AND WRITING AFTER READING
RECALL

Self-test your understanding.

Your instructor may choose to give you a true-false comprehension review.
Copyright ©2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

REACT

Why are sleep and dreaming important research topics for psychologists?

REFLECT

Describe and try to interpret one of your recent or recurring dreams.

THINK CRITICALLY Would you predict any correlation between a good night’s sleep and a good quality of life? Why or why not? Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

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THINK AND WRITE Researchers suggest that dreams differ according to age, gender, and culture. Do sleep patterns show similar differences? How would you predict that sleep patterns differ according to age, gender, and culture?

selection

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MAIN IDEA

Answer the following questions concerning the selection.

1. Who or what is the topic of the selection? 2. What point is the author trying to make?

Now that you have finished reading the selection, “Sleeping and Dreaming,” go back to the beginning of the selection and read the opening quote again. What does Godwin mean when she says that dreams “say what they mean”? What is the difference between daytime language and the language of dreams? Answer both questions on a separate piece of paper.

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Name Date

selection

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COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
Answer the following with a, b, c, or d, or fill in the blank. In order to help analyze your strengths and weaknesses, the question types are indicated.
Main Idea

1. The best statement of the main idea of this selection is a. People become irritable when they do not have an adequate amount of dreaming. b. Through the discovery of REM, researchers have begun to learn about sleeping and dreaming, but many questions remain unanswered. c. Sleep is an observable behavior, whereas dreaming is an internal condition reflecting the mental processes. d. Dreams follow an irregular pattern, with people moving back and forth between REM and non-REM sleep all during the night. 2. During REM sleep a person experiences a. different brain waves than when awake. b. the same brain waves as when awake. c. eye movement under closed lids. d. both b and c. 3. REM sleep is called paradoxical sleep because

Detail

Inference

Detail

4. Dreaming occurs a. during REM and non-REM sleep. b. during REM sleep. c. only during non-REM sleep. d. as people go back and forth between REM and non-REM sleep. 5. Some people probably cannot remember dreams because a. they awaken in the middle of a dream. b. they are nondreamers. c. they experience only 20 percent REM sleep. d. they are slow waking up. 6. The author implies that dreams do all of the following except a. symbolically reflect real-life problems. b. include experiences in the environment. c. relieve tension and irritability. d. normally occur in the last two hours of sleep. 7. According to the passage, after several nights of interrupted REM sleep, people need to a. sleep longer. b. have a higher percent of REM sleep at the next sleeping time. c. have a higher percentage of non-REM sleep. d. sleep more frequently for brief periods of time.

Detail

Copyright ©2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Inference

Detail

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Answer the following with T (true), F (false), or CT (can’t tell).
Inference

selection

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8. Research shows that dreams are unimportant and just an accidental part of REM sleep. 9. The author feels that the discovery of rapid eye movement is the most significant finding thus far in dream research. 10. Dreams help people store memories.

Inference

Inference

VOCABULARY
Answer the following with a, b, c, or d for the word or phrase that best defines the boldface word as used in the selection. The number in parentheses indicates the line of the passage in which the word appears. 1. “most obviously unconscious” (1) a. alert b. daydreaming c. half-knowing d. not aware 2. “a paradox is” (22) a. mystery b. error c. contradictory truth d. reasoning 3. convenient for researchers” (32) a. logical b. easy to use c. necessary d. cooperative 4. “symbolizes the bully” (50) a. warns b. summarizes c. represents d. suspects 5. “bullied by the bigger boy” (52) a. b. c. d. intimidated befriended joined recognized 6. “idling its motor” (54) a. exhausting b. running without power c. withdrawing d. renewing 7. “depriving them of” (57) a. irritating b. educating c. encouraging d. preventing 8. “ascribed to lack of” (63) a. convened b. remembered c. credited d. returned 9. “the critical question is” (69) a. first b. general c. crucial d. most frequent 10. “keeping our two eyes” synchronized” (76) a. working simultaneously b. working vigorously c. focused d. slightly crossed

Your instructor may choose to give a true-false vocabulary review.

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VOCABULARY ENRICHMENT
A. An acronym is an invented word formed by the initial letters of a compound term. REM, for example, is pronounced as a word that rhymes with them, rather than pronouncing the three letters separately to indicate rapid eye movement. Write an A beside the following letters that are pronounced as words and thus are acronyms. 1. HUD 2. UNICEF 3. FBI 4. CIA 5. NAFTA 6. radar

1

B. Study the following easily confused words, and circle the one that is correct in each sentence. conscience: sense of right or wrong conscious: awareness of self to: toward too: more than enough two: the number 2 7. Let your (conscience, conscious) be your guide when faced with temptation to oversleep and cut class. 8. Over a lifetime, (its, it’s) estimated we spend 25 years sleeping. 9. Sleeping for five hours is (to, too, two) little for most people. C. Use the context clues in the following sentences to write the meaning of the boldface psychology terms. 10. Nightmares frequently reflect the frustration and anxiety felt in daily life. its: ownership or possessive it’s: contraction of it is

11. After years of practice, we condition ourselves to get up by the alarm clock.

12. With the birth of the second child, the first child’s desire for a bottle at bedtime was a sign of regression.

13. Saying that you are too busy to sleep is only rationalizing.
Copyright ©2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

14. Dream therapy offers a permissive setting for revealing haunting and embarrassing nightmares. 15. Adequate sleep reinforces the immune system’s ability to fight disease.

ASSESS YOUR LEARNING
Review confusing questions, seek clarification, and make notes in your text to help you remember new information and vocabulary.

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Literature: Short Story
“The trouble with lying and deceiving is that their efficiency depends entirely upon a clear notion of the truth that the liar and deceiver wishes to hide.” Hannah Arendt
Jack Ritchie, born John George Reitci, was stationed in the Central Pacific during World War II. There, to pass the time, he read large numbers of crime stories and mystery fiction. Following the war, and with the help of a literary agent, he became a prolific short story writer whose work appeared in a wide variety of periodicals.

selection

2

THINKING BEFORE READING
Preview the selection for clues to content. Activate your schema, and anticipate what you will learn. What do you know about murder-for-hire? How does a crime of passion differ from one that is premeditated? I’ll read this to find out .

VOCABULARY PREVIEW
Are you familiar with these words? decanter commission morbid incorruptible insight fortitude davenport pertinent authentic commiserate

Are morbid thoughts the same as irrational thoughts? What is the difference between insight and oversight?
Your instructor may choose to give a true-false vocabulary review before or after reading.

THINKING DURING READING
As you read, use the six thinking strategies of a good reader: predict, picture, relate, monitor, correct, and annotate.

SHATTER PROOF
He was a soft-faced man wearing rimless glasses, but he handled the automatic with unmistakable competence. I was rather surprised at my calmness when I learned the reason for his presence. “It’s a pity to die in ignorance,” I said, “Who hired you to kill me?” His voice was mild. “I could be an enemy in my own right.”

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Reading and Studying a Short Story
Ask yourself the following questions as you read a short story: selection • How would you describe the main character? What other charac• • • • • • • ters are well-developed? What is the purpose of the “flat” characters? What do the characters learn? How do the characters change? What is the main conflict in the story? What are the steps in the development of the plot? What is the climax? What is the resolution? What is the theme of the story? What universal truth did you learn from the story? When and where is the story set? How does the setting affect the theme? Who is telling the story? How does this point of view affect the message? What is the tone of the author? What mood is the author trying to create? What symbols provide vivid images that enrich the theme? What is your evaluation of the author’s work?

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I had been making a drink in my study when I had heard him and turned. Now I finished pouring from the decanter. “I know the enemies I’ve made and you are a stranger. Was it my wife?” He smiled. “Quite correct. Her motive must be obvious.” “Yes,” I said. “I have money and apparently she wants it. All of it.” He regarded me objectively. “Your age is?” “Fifty-three.” “And your wife is?” “Twenty-two.” He clicked his tongue. “You were foolish to expect anything permanent, Mr. Williams.” I sipped the whiskey. “I expected a divorce after a year or two and a painful settlement. But not death.” “Your wife is a beautiful woman, but greedy, Mr. Williams. I’m surprised that you never noticed.” My eyes went to the gun. “I assume you have killed before?” “Yes.” “And obviously you enjoy it.” He nodded. “A morbid pleasure, I admit. But I do.” I watched him and waited. Finally I said, “You have been here more than two minutes and I am still alive.” “There is no hurry, Mr. Williams,” he said softly. “Ah, then the actual killing is not your greatest joy. You must savor the preceding moments.” “You have insight, Mr. Williams.” “And as long as I keep you entertained, in one manner or another, I remain alive?” “Within a time limit, of course.”

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“Naturally. A drink, Mr.... ?” “Smith requires no strain on the memory. Yes, thank you. But please allow me to see what you are doing when you prepare it.” “It’s hardly likely that I would have poison conveniently at hand for just such an occasion.” “Hardly likely, but still possible.” He watched me while I made his drink and then took an easy chair. I sat on the davenport. “Where would my wife be at this moment?” “At a party, Mr. Williams. There will be a dozen people to swear that she never left their sight during the time of your murder.” “I will be shot by a burglar? An intruder?” He put his drink on the cocktail table in front of him. “Yes. After I shoot you, I shall, of course, wash this glass and return it to your liquor cabinet. And when I leave I shall wipe all fingerprints from the doorknobs I’ve touched.” “You will take a few trifles with you? To make the burglar-intruder story more authentic?” “That will not be necessary, Mr. Williams. The police will assume that the burglar panicked after he killed you and fled empty-handed.” “That picture on the east wall,” I said. “It’s worth thirty thousand.” His eyes went to it for a moment and then quickly returned to me. “It is tempting, Mr. Williams, but I desire to possess nothing that will even remotely link me to you. I appreciate art, and especially its monetary value, but not to the extent where I will risk the electric chair.” Then he smiled. “Or were you perhaps offering me the painting? In exchange for your life?” “It was a thought.” He shook his head. “I’m sorry, Mr. Williams. Once I accept a commission, I am not dissuaded. It is a matter of professional pride.”

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I put my drink on the table. “Are you waiting for me to show fear, Mr. Smith?” “You will show it.” “And then you will kill me?” His eyes flickered. “It is a strain, isn’t it, Mr. Williams? To be afraid and not to dare show it.” “Do you expect your victims to beg?” I asked. “They do. In one manner or another.” “They appeal to your humanity? And that is hopeless?” “It is hopeless.” “They offer you money?” “Very often.” “Is that hopeless too?” “So far it has been, Mr. Williams.” “Behind the picture I pointed out to you, Mr. Smith, there is a wall safe.” He gave the painting another brief glance. “Yes.” “It contains five thousand dollars.” “That is a lot of money, Mr. Williams.” I picked up my glass and went to the painting. I opened the safe, selected a brown envelope, and then finished my drink. I put the empty glass in the safe and twirled the knob. Smith’s eyes were drawn to the envelope. “Bring that here, please.” I put the envelope on the cocktail table in front of him. He looked at it for a few moments and then up at me. “Did you actually think you could buy your life?” I lit a cigarette. “No. You are, shall we say, incorruptible.” He frowned slightly. “But still you brought me the five thousand?” I picked up the envelope and tapped its contents out on the table. “Old receipts. All completely valueless to you.” He showed the color of irritation. “What do you think this has possibly gained you?” ”The opportunity to go to the safe and put your glass inside it.” His eyes flicked to the glass in front of him. “That was yours. Not mine.” I smiled. “It was your glass, Mr. Smith. And I imagine that the police will wonder what an empty glass is doing in my safe. I rather think, especially since this will be a case of murder, that they will have the intelligence to take fingerprints.” His eyes narrowed. “I haven’t taken my eyes off you for a moment. You couldn’t have switched our glasses.” “No? I seem to recall that at least twice you looked at the painting.” Automatically he looked in that direction again. “Only for a second or two.” “It was enough.” He was perspiring faintly. “I say it was impossible.” “Then I’m afraid you will be greatly surprised when the police come for you. And after a little time you will have the delightful opportunity of facing death in the electric chair. You will share your victims’ anticipation of death with the addition of a great deal more time in which to let your imagination play with the topic. I’m sure you’ve read accounts of executions in the electric chair?” His finger seemed to tighten on the trigger. ”I wonder how you’ll go,” I said. “You’ve probably pictured yourself meeting death with calmness and fortitude. But that is a common comforting delusion, Mr. Smith. You will more likely have to be dragged....” His voice was level. “Open that safe or I’ll kill you.” I laughed. “Really now, Mr. Smith, we both know that obviously you will kill me if I do open the safe.” A half a minute went by before he spoke. “What do you intend to do with the glass?” “If you don’t murder me—and I rather think you won’t now—I will take it to a private detective agency and have your fingerprints reproduced. I will put them, along with

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115 a note containing pertinent information, inside a sealed envelope. And I will leave instruc-

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tions that in the event I die violently, even if the occurrence appears accidental, the envelope be forwarded to the police.” Smith stared at me and then he took a breath. “All that won’t be necessary. I will leave now and you will never see me again.” I shook my head. “I prefer my plan. It provides protection for my future.” He was thoughtful. “Why don’t you go direct to the police?” “I have my reasons.” His eyes went down to his gun and then slowly he put it in his pocket. An idea came to him. “Your wife could very easily hire someone else to kill you.” “Yes. She could do that.” “I would be accused of your death. I could go to the electric chair.” “I imagine so. Unless . . . .” Smith waited. “Unless, of course, she were unable to hire anyone.” “But there are probably a half a dozen other. . . .” He stopped. I smiled. “Did my wife tell you where she is now?” “Just that she’d be at a place called the Petersons. She will leave at eleven.” “Eleven? A good time. It will be very dark tonight. Do you know the Petersons’ address?” He stared at me. “No.” “In Bridgehampton,” I said, and I gave him the house number. Our eyes held for half a minute. “It’s something you must do,” I said softly. “For your own protection.” He buttoned his coat slowly. “And where will you be at eleven, Mr. Williams?” “At my club, probably playing cards with five or six friends. They will no doubt commiserate with me when I receive word that my wife has been. . . shot?” “It all depends on the circumstances and the opportunity.” He smiled thinly. “Did you ever love her?” I picked up a jade figurine and examined it. “I was extremely fond of this piece when I first bought it. Now it bores me. I will replace it with another.” When he was gone there was just enough time to take the glass to a detective agency before I went on to the club. Not the glass in the safe, of course. It held nothing but my own fingerprints. I took the one that Mr. Smith left on the cocktail table when he departed. The prints of Mr. Smith’s fingers developed quite clearly.
(1,588 words)

selection

—“Shatter Proof” by Jack Ritchie, from Manhunt Magazine

THINKING AND WRITING AFTER READING
RECALL

Self-test your understanding.

Your instructor may choose to give you a true-false comprehension review.

Why do you think Mr. Williams will take the glass with the killer’s finger prints to the detective agency before going to the club?
REACT

REFLECT How did Mr. Williams manage to trick and blackmail the killer?

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THINKING CRITICALLY Why did the author not end the story with the glass in the

safe and the killer saying he would leave? Would it still have been a clever short story if it had ended at that point? selection THINK AND WRITE Irony is a twist that leads to the unexpected happening. In this

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story, what is the ironic twist for each of the three: Mr. Williams, the professional killer, and Mrs. Williams?

Now that you have finished reading the selection, “Shatter Proof,” go back to the beginning of the selection and read the opening quote again. On a separate sheet of paper, explain the meaning of the quote. Do you think that Mr. Williams’ deception was effective? Explain why.

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selection
Main Idea Inference Inference Inference Inference Inference

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COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
Answer the following with a, b, c, or d. In order to help you analyze your strengths and weaknesses, the question types are indicated. 1. The best statement of the main idea of the selection is a. Mr. Williams cleverly tricks a professional killer to change his own fate. b. Mr. Williams wanted to kill his wife and finally found a way to do it. c. Murder is a random game of chance. d. Dishonest people in polite society commit serious crimes and get away with it. 2. The killer does not shoot Mr. Williams immediately because a. he wants more money. b. he takes pleasure in being entertained by the victim. c. he wants to give Mrs. Williams more time to establish her alibi. d. he does not enjoy killing but wants Mr. Williams to beg for his life. 3. The main purpose for Mr. Williams’ pointing to the painting and presenting the envelope was a. to switch the glasses. b. to divert the killer’s eyes. c. to buy his life with the money. d. to get the $5,000 out of the safe. 4. The killer did not shoot Mr. Williams because a. he had professional pride in accepting a commission. b. he believed Mr. Williams would give him the glass if he killed Mrs. Williams. c. he believed that Mrs. Williams also knew the combination to the safe. d. he believed he was trapped by the fingerprints in the safe. 5. The killer will shoot Mrs. Williams because a. she might send someone else to kill Mr. Williams. b. he wants the glass returned by Mr. Williams. c. he plans to blame Mr. Williams for the murder. d. he realizes that he will not get any money from Mrs. Williams. 6. Mr. Williams uses the jade figurine to describe a. his love for his wife. b. his present lack of interest in his wife. c. his long hatred for his wife. d. his wife’s greed for money.

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Inference

selection

7. The reader can most likely conclude that a. Mr. Williams will be convicted of his wife’s murder. b. Mr. Williams will go to the police. c. The killer will not kill Mrs. Williams. d. Mr. Williams will keep the killer’s fingerprints for his own protection. Answer the following with T (true) or F (false). 8. The reader can conclude that the professional killer’s real name is Mr. Smith. 9. Mr. Williams married a woman less than half his age. 10. Mr. Williams discovered that the killer’s weakness or vulnerable point was his fear of conviction and the electric chair.

Inference Detail Detail

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VOCABULARY
Answer the following with a, b, c, or d for the word or phrase that best defines the boldface word as used in the selection. The number in parentheses indicates the line of the passage in which the word appears. 1. “from the decanter” (7) a. bowl b. glass c. vase d. ornamental bottle 2. “morbid pleasure”(24) a. healthy b. abnormal c. guilty d. happy 3. “you have insight” (30) a. time b. money c. education d. understanding 4. “sat on the davenport” (40) a. sofa b. table c. liquor cabinet d. bed 5. “story more authentic” (48) a. fake b. interesting c. slow d. genuine 6. “accept a commission” (58) a. client b. fee c. painting d. vote 7. “You are ... incorruptible” (84) a. not open to bribery b. dishonest c. clumsy d. innocent 8. “calmness and fortitude” (107) a. protest b. temper c. happiness d. courage 9. “containing pertinent information” (115) a. relevant b. insignificant c. misleading d. misspelled 10. “commiserate with me” (140–141) a. laugh b. sympathize c. wonder d. approve

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Your instructor may choose to give a true-false vocabulary review.

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VOCABULARY ENRICHMENT
A. Use the indicated prefix to write words from the word bank that complete each sentence in the groups. in: not, in, into selection Word Bank: incorruptible

insight

intruder

2

1. His wife had planned for Mr. Williams’ murder to look like the act of a surprised 2. Mr. Williams’ care for the act of killing. 3. Since the killer would not accept Mr. Williams’ offer of a valuable painting in exchange for his life, Mr. Williams referred to him as pro: before, for Word Bank: professional protection provided . rather than a premeditated action. was that the hired gun did not particularly

4. Mr. Williams was able to convince the hit man to kill Mrs. Williams for his own .

5. Although unsettled by Mr. Williams’ trick, the man stayed calm and collected because he was a in his field.

6. Had Mr. Williams become a murder victim, his wife would probably have been re: back, again with a substantial estate. Word Bank: remain remotely return

7. Mr. Williams kept his would-be killer occupied as long as possible in order to alive.

8. The murderer’s initial plan was to shoot Mr. Williams, wash the glass he had used, and it to the liquor cabinet.

9. Mr. Williams’ offer of the painting was rejected partly because the criminal wanted no part of anything that would even to the victim. B. Use the context clues in the sentences to write the meaning of the boldface words. 10. Narratives never preach, but rather deliver a message to our emotions, senses, and imagination through a powerful shared experience. link him

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11. The theme of a story about a college tennis champion might be that the journey to the top, including the hard work and discipline, was more meaningful than the final victory. selection 12. Poisoned apples and talking mirrors may not seem realistic in a modern telephone conversation; however, in the context of Snow White, we easily find both plausible.

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13. E. M. Forster said that “The king died, and the queen died,” is a narrative, but changing this to “The king died, and the queen died of grief,” creates a plot.

14. The suspense of a narrative is based on conflict, which perhaps starts out as mild and intensifies as each incident occurs.

15. Good writers select incidents and details that give unity to the story and advance the central theme.

ASSESS YOUR LEARNING
Review confusing questions, seek clarification, and make notes in your text to help you remember new information and vocabulary.

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selection

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History
“An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
A critical event in the struggle for equal rights occurred in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955. Rosa Parks, a black seamstress who was returning from work and tired, sat down on a bus in a section reserved for whites. When asked to get up, she refused. Parks was arrested and ordered to stand trial. Black civil rights officials seized the issue and responded with a boycott of the bus system. Organizational meetings for the boycott were held in a Montgomery Baptist church where the young 27-year-old minister, Martin Luther King, Jr., took an active role in the protest. Soon the talented and articulate Dr. King emerged as the leading spokesman for the protest and for the civil and economic concerns of black Americans.

selection

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THINKING BEFORE READING
Preview for clues to the content. Activate your prior knowledge. Anticipate what is coming and think about your purpose for reading. In what city is the Martin Luther King, Jr., homeplace and national memorial? Where did Dr. King make his “I Have a Dream” speech? What world leader inspired Dr. King’s nonviolent tactics? I want to learn .

VOCABULARY PREVIEW
Are you familiar with these words? sweltering galvanized centennial spurious oppressive dire podium recanted resonant compelled

What is a centenarian? At what temperature do you swelter? How do compel, repel, and expel differ?
Your instructor may chose to give a true-false vocabulary review before or after reading.

THINKING DURING READING
As you read, use the six thinking strategies of a good reader: predict, picture, relate, monitor, correct, and annotate.

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Reading and Studying History
• Know the who, what, when, where, and why for people, places, documents, and events.

• Seek to understand the cause-and-effect relationship among events and their causes, results, and consequences.

• Use time lines to familiarize yourself with chronologies to get an • Learn significant dates to provide a framework for grouping and understanding events. selection overall picture of parallel or overlapping events.

• Look at maps of the region being studied. • Distinguish between fact and opinion, and compare your conclusions with the historian’s interpretation.

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THE DREAM

OF

NONVIOLENT REFORM

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Perspiring in the sweltering heat of a Washington August afternoon, Martin Luther King, Jr., looked down from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at the largest assembly ever congregated in the United States. Well over 200,000 people, 70 percent of them blacks, jammed the mile-long mall that swept away to the Washington Monument. Angry yet hopeful, they had come to the nation’s capital in 1963, the centennial of the 5 Emancipation Proclamation, to personify black demands for equality in society. But the speakers and singers who preceded King had not been particularly effective, the heat and humidity were oppressive, and the great crowd was starting to thin around the edges. As he mounted the podium, King sensed this restlessness and the need for a focus. At first 10 his deep voice was husky, but it soon became resonant with a purpose that quieted and transfixed the multitude and the millions of television viewers. King’s eloquence dramatized the anguish of black history. One hundred years after slavery, he pointed out, the black was still “an exile in his own land.” It was the future, however, that mattered. “I have a dream,” he cried repeatedly, as he sketched his vision of freedom, justice, and har15 mony. At the end of his speech King prophesied that one day all people would be able to join together in singing the words of an old Negro spiritual: “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last.” There was an awed silence, then an ear-shattering roar: the crowd was applauding wildly. King had galvanized the massive assembly. At that moment he stood at the crest of a mounting wave of African American protest. Yet, 20 as King must have known, his dream would have an agonizing birth. Just five years after his Washington address, he lay dead on the balcony of a Memphis motel, the victim of the violence he had devoted his life to overcoming. ... The Poor People’s March was set for June 1968, but the whirlwind pace King had kept since the beginning of the decade allowed him only occasional participation in the 25 planning. One of the detours took him to Memphis, where a garbage strike threatened to evolve into a racial encounter of crisis proportions. Local black leaders wanted King to organize a peaceful demonstration, but once again he had difficulty working with Black Power militants. Uncontrollable black looters, arsonists, and street fighters were another source of difficulty. On March 28, they had transformed a nonviolent march into an orgy 30 of destruction that had provoked an even greater measure of police brutality. As a selfstyled “riot preventer,” King was sick at heart. If Memphis exploded, he feared, the

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approaching summer of 1968 would be chaos. Already, black leaders like Harlem congressman Adam Clayton Powell were arousing the urban masses and, as part of their campaign, making references to “Martin Loser King” and his Uncle Tom tactics. Nonviolence, King felt, was on trial in Memphis. On April 3, 1968, on the eve of the crucial Memphis march, King addressed a capacity crowd at the Masonic Temple located in that city. His mood was strangely somber and introspective. “Like anybody,” he mused, “I would like to live a long life.” But longevity, he added, was not his chief concern; he would rather do God’s will. Some of his aides were reminded of the great Washington rally of 1963, where King had expressed his belief that “if a man hasn’t discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live!” The following evening, on the way to yet another mass meeting, King walked onto the balcony of his hotel room and leaned over the railing to talk with a colleague. A moment later he crumpled to the ground. An assassin’s bullet, fired from a hotel room across the street, had pierced his skull. The killer, arrested two months later and identified as James Earl Ray, was a white drifter with a long criminal record. Following Ray’s confession, investigations of King’s murder continued until 1977. Exhaustive reviews of the evidence seemed to prove conclusively that Ray had acted alone in the assassination, and there was no conspiracy. The research did reveal that the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under orders of its director, J. Edgar Hoover, had complicated the last six years of King’s life with a program of systematic harassment on the spurious grounds that he was under the influence of the Communist party. The conspiracy theory surrounding King’s death reemerged in the 1990’s when James Earl Ray, in prison and in dire health, recanted his confession. Talk of Ray being brought to trial—there had been none due to his confession—ended abruptly when Ray died in early 1998. The murder of Martin Luther King, Jr., moved the American people as had few events in recent years. The immediate response in all but the most prejudiced white minds was shame. Millions of whites felt compelled to apologize to black people as a whole and went to their churches for services honoring King. But even among the mourners, white and black eyes did not meet easily. Everyone seemed to recognize that, with King’s death, a powerful influence for interracial compassion and understanding had been eliminated—the basis of ordered change and reform.
(878 words)

—From These Beginnings, Sixth Edition, Volume Two, by Roderick Nash and Gregory Graves

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THINKING AND WRITING AFTER READING
RECALL Self-test your understanding.

Your instructor may choose to give you a true-false comprehension review.
REACT

Aside from their stated reasons, why do you think the FBI would spend

six years tracking Dr. King? selection REFLECT What seemed to be the differences in philosophy among the civil rights

leaders?

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THINK CRITICALLY Why was Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday made a national

holiday?

THINK AND WRITE Events often call for ordinary men and women to do extraordinary things. How were Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr., both ordinary and extraordinary? How did events converge to change their destinies and our

history?

MAIN IDEA

1. What is the topic of the first paragraph? 2. What is the topic of the last paragraph?

Copyright ©2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Now that you have finished reading the selection, “The Dream of Nonviolent Reform,” go back to the beginning of the selection and read the opening quote again. Under what circumstances does Martin Luther King, Jr., believe it is acceptable to break the law? On a separate piece of paper, explain why you agree or disagree with Dr. King’s views on breaking laws.

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COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
Answer the following with a, b, c, or d, or fill in the blank. In order to help you analyze your strengths and weaknesses, the question types are indicated.
Main Idea

3

1. The best statement of the main idea of the selection is: a. Dr. King started the civil rights movement with his “I Have a Dream” speech in Washington. b. Though his life was taken violently, Dr. King was a moving speaker and a major force in the nonviolent movement for civil rights. c. Dr. King was killed violently by a drifter. d. Dr. King controlled the violence in Memphis but was killed for doing so. 2. The primary reason over 200,000 people had congregated in Washington in 1963 was a. to hear Dr. King speak. b. to urge legislators to pass the Emancipation Proclamation. c. to show strength in demanding equal treatment for African Americans in society. d. to honor Lincoln for freeing the slaves. 3. In his “I Have a Dream” speech, Dr. King’s major thrust is to a. recall the hardships of the past. b. blame society for prejudice and hatred. c. ask God for forgiveness and strength. d. focus on the possibilities of the future. 4. The author implies that a. Black Power militants did not agree with Dr. King’s tactics. b. Dr. King and Black Power militants shared the same philosophy and strategies. c. Adam Clayton Powell supported Dr. King’s tactics. d. little friction existed among the different leaders supporting civil rights. 5. Dr. King felt that nonviolence was on trial in Memphis because

selection

Detail

Detail

Inference

Inference

.

Inference

6. The author suggests all of the following except a. Dr. King was willing to die for his cause. b. Dr. King had a premonition that he would not live a long life. c. Dr. King knew that fighting for his cause was dangerous. d. Dr. King was willing to back off from his nonviolent stand to get the support of other civil rights leaders.

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Detail

7. The author indicates that evidence suggests that a. Ray acted alone. b. Ray was part of a conspiracy. c. J. Edgar Hoover was involved in Dr. King’s death. d. Ray was not the man who fired the shots from the hotel room. Answer the following with T (true) or F (false).

Inference Detail Detail

8. After Dr. King’s death, the American people realized that he was indeed the “riot preventer.” selection 9. The garbage strike in Memphis was in June 1968. 10. Ray was brought to trial after he took back his confession.

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VOCABULARY
Answer the following with a, b, c, or d for the word or phrase that best defines the boldface word as used in the selection. The number in parentheses indicates the line of the passage in which the word appears. 1. “sweltering heat” (1) a. never-ending b. humid and sweaty c. permanent d. oncoming 2. “the centennial of the Emancipation Proclamation” (5) a.10-year celebration b. 50-year celebration c. 100-year celebration 3. “heat and humidity were oppressive” (8) a. overpowering b. surprising c. brief d. energizing 4. “mounted the podium” (9) a. stairway b. top of the monument c. steps d. speaker’s stand 5. “resonant with a purpose” (10) a. sensitive b. hoarse c. forceful and loud d. repetitious 6. “galvanized the massive assembly” (18) a. stopped b. excited c. frightened d. shamed 7. “on spurious grounds” (51–52) a. false b. evil c. criminal d. socialistic 8. “in dire health” (54) a. fair b. uncertain c. questionable d. terrible 9. “recanted his confession” (54) a. emphasized b. questioned c. regretted d. took back 10. “compelled to apologize” (58) a. nervous b. obliged c. angered d. manipulated

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Your instructor may choose to give a true-false vocabulary review.

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VOCABULARY ENRICHMENT
A. Use the indicated root to form words to complete each sentence. voc, vok: voice, call 1. Dr. King’s message of freedom and love for all mankind feeling of hope for racial unity in his audience. 2. Dr. King’s brave manner of speaking out against injustice has inspired future generations to be more 3. Dr. King’s persuasive and justice. gress, grad, gred: step, degree 4. Dr. King’s inspiring words are often quoted to commencement speeches. 5. While Dr. King used peaceful methods of conflict resolution, Black Power militants tended to use more tactics. in about prejudice. included simple words like dream selection a

3

6. While many advocates for civil rights wanted instant change, Dr. King recognized that lasting change would be more spec, spect: see, watch 7. Over 200,000 the Lincoln Memorial. 8. An of the assassination scene indicated that Dr. King had observed Dr. King’s speech on the steps of .

been shot from the window of a neighboring hotel. 9. The Memphis march was intended to be a national attention to the Civil Rights Movement. B. Use context clues and mark a, b, c, or d for the meaning closest to that of the boldface word. 10. The fight for racial equality signifies a larger struggle for all human rights. a. indicates b. simplifies c. reduces d. warns of 11. Sit-ins by diligent believers in racial equality resulted in the desegregation of public facilities in a hundred southern cities. a. convincing b. hard-working c. older d. talkative that would call

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12. The Civil Rights movement accomplished a tangible result when the Supreme Court ruled the Alabama segregated bus seating law unconstitutional. a. sizable b. tremendous c. actual d. movable C. Study the following easily confused words, and circle the one that is correct in each sentence. thorough: careful threw: tossed through: by means of straight: not curving strait: narrow passage of water loose: not tight lose: misplace

selection

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13. Dr. King’s “Letter from a Birmingham City Jail” did a (thorough, threw, through) job in explaining his vision to a group of Alabama clergymen. 14. Dr. King’s doctrine of passive resistance required followers to stare and walk (straight, strait) ahead when confronted by violence. 15. Police often let attack dogs run (loose, lose) to menace Civil Rights protestors.

ASSESS YOUR LEARNING
Review confusing questions, seek clarification, and make notes in your text to help you remember new information and vocabulary.

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Personal

Feedback 2

Name

1. Review your responses to the three longer reading selections. Summarize and comment on your error patterns.

selection

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2. What selection, short or long, has held your attention the best? Why do you think it did so?

3. What are your major responsibilities other than going to college?

4. Did you receive any scholarships for college? If so, describe how you qualified for them. 5. Describe your mode of transportation and your average traveling time to class.

6. What unforeseen difficulties have you already encountered this term that have interfered with your ability to study?

Tear out and submit to your instructor.

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Before and After
Study the prefixes, words, and sentences. Prefixes ante: before pre: before post: after

Words with ante = before
Can antenuptial counseling strengthen marriages? Is an entry an anteroom?

• Antebellum: existing before the war
The antebellum home with the white columns was built before the Civil War.

• Antecede: to go before
Your good name can antecede your presence.

• Antecedent: word coming before the pronoun to which the pronoun refers
The name Valerie is the antecedent of her in the sentence.

• Antediluvian: belonging to the time before the flood; very old
She ignored the advice and regarded it as antediluvian.

• Antennae: feelers on the head of an insect used as organs of touch
The insect’s antennae inspected the food.

• Antescript: a note added before something such as a prefix to a letter
The antescript indicated why the letter would be late arriving.

Words with pre = before
Can a prefix predict the meaning of a new word?

• Preamble: an introduction
Schoolchildren learn the Preamble to the Constitution.

• Precede: to go before
Queen Elizabeth should precede Prince Philip at state events.

• Predecessor: one who came before another in office
Copyright ©2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Her predecessor helped orient the new chairperson to the job.

• Preeminent: supreme, before all others
Our professor is the preeminent scholar in contemporary Russian literature.

• Prelude: a musical or dramatic introduction
As the prelude began, the remaining ticket holders were seated in the audience.

• Premonition: a forewarning or omen
When I heard the dog bark, I had a premonition that trouble was near.

• Prejudice: judgment before proof is given
A lawyer tries to avoid choosing a potential juror who shows signs of prejudice.

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Main Idea

• Precocious: having early development
The precocious child could read at 2 years of age.

Words with post = after
Is the time ante meridian or post meridian?

• Posterity: descendants who come after
Leave a gift for posterity and donate money to the college library.

• Posthumous: after death
The posthumous award was given to the widow of the soldier.

• Postnatal: the time immediately after birth
A postnatal examination monitors the health of the new mother.

• Postpone: delay or set the date back
Let’s postpone the meeting until tomorrow after lunch.

• Postscript: a note added to a letter after it has been signed
Karen scribbled an afterthought in the postscript to her long letter.

Review
Part I
Choose an appropriate word from the list to complete each of the following sentences. precocious predecessor premonition posthumous antebellum preamble prelude postponed postscript preeminent

1. The ambassador is a 2. Shorten the 3. As a

scholar in the history of Nigeria. and begin the main point of your speech. athlete, the young Tiger Woods golfed on TV with adults. the game for three hours.

4. The threat of a tornado 5. A

award honors a dead hero. home to its original 1850s appearance. introduced the song to follow. of George W. Bush. of danger. .

6. The couple restored the 7. The musical

8. Bill Clinton was the immediate

9. A superstitious person would see a black cat as a 10. Sara’s letter ended with her quickly remembered thoughts in a

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Part II
Answer the following with T (true) or F (false). 11. A prejudiced listener has trouble fairly evaluating both sides. 12. An antediluvian outfit is up to date. 13. A postnatal exam checks the growth of the fetus. 14. Antemeridian refers to the afternoon. 15. The antennae of an insect are usually attached to its tail. 16. The antescript is positioned in the main body of the letter. 17. An antecedent is a person, place, or thing. 18. Antenuptual arguments occur after the wedding day. 19. A presumed appointment needs to be double-checked for certainty. 20. Environmental regulations consider both the present and posterity.

Copyright ©2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

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Main Idea

EVERYDAY READING SKILLS
Selecting a Book
The next time you are in the market for a good read, enter a bookstore, feast your eyes on the colorful array of books, and remind yourself, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” Like groceries and clothing, books are products—and the packaging matters. Book jackets are slick marketing tools designed by experts to entice you to make a purchase through pictures, testimonials, and exaggeration. Cut through the hype and decide if the book will be of interest to you. The introductory material on the cover can be helpful, but remember that exciting covers can be wrapped around boring books.

exercise exercise

1

Refer to the preceding figure to answer the following questions. 1. Is this book on the British Best Sellers List?

2. What is the book’s topic?
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3. Why is the comma misplaced in the panda anecdote? How does it alter the meaning of the sentence?

4. In this book an example of fiction or nonfiction? (See the definitions that follow if you are not sure.) Justify your response.

Selecting a Book
After locating a book that looks interesting, investigate further using these strategies.

• Read the book jacket. Do the quotes from reviewers seem valid or clipped out of context? Do the blurbs introducing the book entice you? Has the author written other books that you have enjoyed? If the book is nonfiction, what are the author’s credentials? • Read the first page and at least one other page. Do you like the writing style? Is it comfortable for you to read? Does the first page grab your attention? • If nonfiction, look at the illustrations and read the captions. Are you intrigued? • If nonfiction, review the table of contents and scan the index. Is this material that you want to learn more about?

Consult Best-Seller Lists
If you want to know what books other people are buying, consult a best-seller list. Your bookstore or your city newspaper may publish one. If not, the New York Times Best Sellers List is nationally respected. Such lists are sometimes divided into best-selling fiction and nonfiction, and then further divided into hardbound books—which are published first and cost more—and paperbacks. Similar to a listing of top-grossing movies, a ranking on a best-seller list indicates quantity, but not necessarily quality. Bookstores often post their own lists of local best-selling suggestions.

Copyright ©2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.

Sample a Variety of Fiction and Nonfiction
Fiction is writing that has been invented by the imagination. The novel, the literary form for the imaginative and pleasurable stories of contemporary fiction, is longer than a short story but presents the same elements of plot, character, theme, setting, and tone.
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Nonfiction is a piece of writing based on true events. The label of nonfiction includes biographies and books about travel, art, music, decorating, computers, cooking, and other special interests. Some are historical works in which dialogue may be invented based on known facts about the actual people and events of a given time period. Such books can be difficult to distinguish from fiction.

exercise

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Visit a local bookstore or log on to an online bookstore and pretend you have $100 to spend on books. Review both fiction and nonfiction books and make your choices. Record the title and author of each book you select, as well as a one- or two-sentence summary of what you think the book will be about and why you may want to read it.

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