You can identify main idea questions by the language they contain. Here are some examples of the ways main idea questions may be worded:
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The author of the passage is primarily concerned with which one of the following?
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The author's primary goal (or purpose) in the passage is to do which one of the following?
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An appropriate title that best summarizes this passage is
The best answer to a main idea question is general rather than specific. If an answer choice concerns information that's discussed in only one part of the passage, it probably isn't the correct answer. Here are some other ways to eliminate answer choices for main idea questions:
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Eliminate answer choices that contain information that comes only from the passage's middle paragraphs. These paragraphs probably deal with specific points rather than the main idea.
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Eliminate any answer choices that contain information that you can't find in the passage. These choices are irrelevant.
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Sometimes you can eliminate answer choices based on just the first words. For example, if you're trying to find the best answer to the author's purpose in an objectively written natural science passage, you can eliminate answers that begin with less objective terms, like to argue that, to criticize, and to refute the opposition's position that.