MAIN IDEA. FOR LONGER CONVERSATIONS, CLASS DISCUSSIONS, AND LECTURE...

2. Main idea. For longer conversations, class discussions, and lectures, you may be asked to identify the

main idea of the passage—what the speaker(s) are saying about the subject. Here’s an example of a

main idea question based on a short lecture:

Professor: Next week we will begin our discussion of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Frankenstein

is actually considered by most literary critics to be the first science fiction novel. Understanding what

makes this novel a work of science fiction can help you understand why it still has so much power.

Science fiction isn’t just about space exploration, clones, and robots. Science fiction is any fiction

about the realm of possibilities—not just possible futures, but also possible pasts. For example, there’s

a sub-genre of science fiction called “alternate histories.” In these stories, authors explore what our

world would be like if history had turned out differently—if the Axis powers had won World War II,

for example.

In Frankenstein, Shelley explores the social and moral repercussions of what might happen if it

were possible to bring the dead back to life. She creates a character who discovers the secret of life and

“gives birth” to a man made from the corpses of dead men. Then she imagines what might happen

afterward.

You may be surprised by how little science there is in this science fiction novel. But like the best

of science fiction writers, Shelley focuses on the human element by exploring what certain scientific and

technological advances would mean for our society. In Frankenstein, the message is clear: Dr. Franken-

stein is playing God, and his delight turns to horror the moment he brings his creature to life because

he is unable to accept responsibility for his creation. If we seek glory without considering our respon-

sibilities, Shelley argues, we are headed for disaster.

Question: What is the speaker’s main point?

a. Frankenstein is a science fiction novel.

b. Alternate histories are a kind of science fiction.

c. Frankenstein is about the possible consequences of a scientific discovery.

d. Dr. Frankenstein runs away from his responsibilities.

Answer: c.

Tip: Remember, the main idea is different from the main topic. Main ideas say something about their sub-

ject. They must be general enough to “cover” the information in the entire passage. Thus, choices that are

about specific facts or details (such as choice b) cannot be the correct answer. See pages 28–31 in Chapter 2

for a review of main idea.