Duolingo: Task 14, Identify the Idea
Identify the Idea
Praxis: Click on the Idea on the right side of the page that best expresses the main idea of the passage (paragraph) you read on the left.
Time: 7:00 or 8 minutes for a maximum of 6 questions or until the algorithm is satisfied.
TIPS:
Read all answer options -don’t choose quickly.
The idea that is correct will resemble a topic sentence. The Main idea can be pieced together from ‘context clues’ throughout the passage. The correct answer should be apparent after a close reading of the text.
For example:
7 or 8 minutes for possibly six ‘Identify the Idea’ passages.
2:14
| Quit Test |
For example:
Select the idea that is expressed in the passage:
| Prizes and certificates are awarded, and many people give speeches. Very often a community leader or well-known politician gives a speech. It is common for the best students in the graduating class to give speeches to their classmates and families. These speeches focus on the accomplishments of the past and hopes for the future. Everyone feels good, and the event is a celebration of the work that the students have completed during four years of high school. Some students will go to college. Others will begin working, or get married, or join the army. No one wants to think about problems they have or may have in the future | Identify the idea in the passage from the following choices: (usually found to the far right of the page on the exam)
a. This event is about speeches and families. b. This event is about student frustration and happiness. c. This event is a graduation ceremony. d. This even represents the typical choices made by students.
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You must know: Reading for Topic Sentence or Main Idea (usually repeats the idea through Paraphrases), Paragraphing.
This task asks the test-taker to find the MAIN IDEA of a paragraph. To do exceedingly well on this task try to find the Topic sentence because the ‘Main Idea’ is also the ‘controlling idea’ when you write a paragraph – they are the same. As with the paragraph below, there is ‘No’ topic sentence, so the test-taker must make inferences, or educated guesses as to what the paragraph is about. Usually, synonyms are used for the same idea several times in a paragraph, so it should be easy to locate.
Procedure:
- Read the passage one time and note the ‘synonymous repetition of words or phrases’
- Try to locate a Topic sentence – if none, ask yourself what is repeated most often
- Read the 4 possible answers carefully
- Try to Read only the Support sentences and/ the repeated parts in the paragraph and then compare with the answers
- Try to write your own topic sentence in your mind – this will be close to one of the answers given
- The answer choices may try to offer detail or examples, never choose these – the answer should read like a topic sentence – not being too SPECIFIC like detail or an example.
