Which term best matches the definition: the central point the author tries to make in a text?

• A. Main idea
• B. Summarize
• C. Cause and effect
• D. Tone

Answer: (A)

The central point the author tries to make is called the main idea. It’s the message or point that the whole passage is built around, and the one you’d sum up in one sentence to capture what the text is about. Details, examples, and evidence are there to support this main idea, showing why it matters.

This fits best because it names the overall message the author wants you to understand, not just a single fact or a pattern of events. The other terms describe different things: summarizing is about restating the main points in fewer words, cause and effect is about how one thing leads to another, and tone is about the author’s attitude or mood conveyed through word choice. To spot the main idea, look for what the paragraph is mostly about and what point ties all the details together.