IXL | Identify and analyze the main idea of a passage

Read the passage.

A Symbol of Freedom

Édouard de Laboulaye, a French writer and law professor, admired the freedoms enjoyed in the United States. He supported Abraham Lincoln's freeing of slaves during the Civil War. After the war, in 1865, he suggested that France present a statue to the U.S. The statue was meant to honor Lincoln and American democracy. At that time, the French people had little say in their government. Laboulaye hoped the statue would encourage the French to demand more freedom at home. Work began on the project in 1875. Ten years later, the statue, known as the Statue of Liberty, finally arrived in New York.

What is the main, or central, idea of the passage?

Édouard de Laboulaye wanted the Statue of Liberty to inspire freedom and democracy in France.

Édouard de Laboulaye supported Abraham Lincoln's freeing of the slaves during the Civil War.

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Learn with an example

question

Read the passage.

A Symbol of Freedom

What is the main, or central, idea of the passage?

Édouard de Laboulaye wanted the Statue of Liberty to inspire freedom and democracy in France.

Édouard de Laboulaye supported Abraham Lincoln's freeing of the slaves during the Civil War.

key idea

A main

idea,

or central

idea,

is what a text is mostly about. It is the key point that the author wants the reader to remember. You can think of it as an "umbrella" statement that covers all the smaller details in the passage.

Sometimes, the title of a text can give you a clue about its main idea.

In informational texts, the author organizes facts, definitions, and examples to explain a topic clearly. These texts often follow a clear structure. For example, they may include:

an introduction that presents the topic,
facts and details that explain or support it, and
a concluding sentence that summarizes the key point.

Understanding how a text is organized can also help you figure out the main idea.

The facts and details in a text are called supporting

evidence.

They help prove, explain, or show why the main idea is true.

For example, look at this main idea:

Rainforests are important to the planet.

Supporting evidence for this main idea could include facts like these:

They provide oxygen.

They are home to thousands of animal species.

Each fact supports the author's message and helps the reader understand why rainforests

matter.

To figure out the main idea, look at the title for clues, notice how the text is structured, and think about the details that explain the author's message.

solution

This is the main, or central, idea of the passage:

Édouard de Laboulaye wanted the Statue of Liberty to inspire freedom and democracy in France.

The title hints that the passage is about freedom. The passage shows how Laboulaye's admiration for U.S. democracy led him to propose a statue meant to inspire freedom in France. These details support the main idea that Édouard de Laboulaye wanted the Statue of Liberty to inspire freedom and democracy in France.

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