Lesson: Reading Comprehension Basic - 09t01

Getting The Gist Of The Passage

Remember, the passage is not there to entertain you or help you idly pass the time - it's there for one reason only, to serve as fodder for questions that, in turn, will turn into points. In that light, we aim to "attack" the passage, and in the most general sense that means getting "the gist" of it. Getting the gist entails taking note of a number of specific elements of the passage:

• Topic - the author's broad subject matter.
• Scope - the specific aspect of the topic that interests the author.
• Purpose - why the author has written the passage.
• Main Idea - the specific point that the author is trying to get across to the reader.

Attack the following passage introduction. Jot down in your own words the topic, scope, purpose, and main idea.

Compare your notes with the responses below:

Topic: building democratic societies

Scope: the institutions that underlie democratic societies

Purpose: to zero in on a condition necessary (cf. the phrase "depend upon") for the success of democratic societies.

Main Idea: Non-democratic societies, like those in Eastern Europe and Asia, cannot become democratic unless they develop the basic institutions that sustain democratic values.

Of course, the purpose and even main idea can shift and evolve as the passage unfolds. What we cite at this early point in the passage may have to be modified later on. The upshot: Stay on your toes!

Next to display next topic in the chapter.