All the information about what kind of American families and under what condition they are not paid adds details. The details are helpful in completing the scene for the reader, and we need to rely on these details to make the key idea clearer. But the key idea, or the main thought, in this sentence is simply American families are not paid In order to find the key idea of a sentence we have to a)ask who or what the sentence is about b)ask what the person or object is doing, or what is happening to the person or object c)learn to separate details from the key idea Many words in a sentence describe things about the subject of the sentence and only add details around it. If we ask when, what kind, where, or why, we will find details. As a result it will be easier for us to see the key idea. Now look at the following example taken from Reading Yet for 38 young passengers between fifteen and eighteen years of age, it is the start of a new experience: they will spend 10 months of their lives studying abroad, far from their families (Para2, Reading Passage A, Unit 4) The key idea of this sentence is that it is a start of a new experience. The information as to for whom and why it is a start of a new experience simply adds details on B Section I. Language Points 1. We are in Montreal, in an echoing, dark train station, and we are squeezed together on a ara Meaning: We are in a noisy, dark train station in Montreal, and we are all pressed aga other on one bench uncomfortably echo: v(of places)repeat a sound His footsteps echoed in the empty hall他的脚步声在空荡荡的大厅内回响 The room echoed with the sound of their happy laughter.房间里回荡着他们快乐的笑声 2. Eventually, a man speaking broken Polish approaches us, .(Para. 1) Meaning: Finally, a man who can speak Polish, though not fluently, comes up to us, 3. Eventually, a man speaking broken Polish approaches us, ...(Para. 1) approach 1)v.comeneato He approached the old lady slowly, having no idea how to tell her the bad news.他慢慢地走 近老太太,不知道该怎么把坏消息告诉她 As summer approaches, the weather becomes hotter.夏天临近了,天气越来越热了 2)n act of approaching The little boy ran away as fast as he could at their approach.他们走近时,小男孩拼命跑开 4. And so begins yet another segment of this longest journey -all the longer because we don exactly know when it will end, when we'll reach our destination. (Para. 1) Meaning: And then another part of this very long journey begins, and it seems to be longer as we don 't know exactly where our destination is and when we'll reach thereAll the information about what kind of American families and under what condition they are not paid adds details. The details are helpful in completing the scene for the reader, and we need to rely on these details to make the key idea clearer. But the key idea, or the main thought, in this sentence is simply American families are not paid. In order to find the key idea of a sentence we have to: a) ask who or what the sentence is about. b) ask what the person or object is doing, or what is happening to the person or object. c) learn to separate details from the key idea. Many words in a sentence describe things about the subject of the sentence and only add details around it. If we ask when, what kind, where, or why, we will find details. As a result it will be easier for us to see the key idea. Now look at the following example taken from Reading Passage A: Yet for 38 young passengers between fifteen and eighteen years of age, it is the start of a new experience: they will spend 10 months of their lives studying abroad, far from their families. (Para2, Reading Passage A, Unit 4). The key idea of this sentence is that it is a start of a new experience. The information as to for whom and why it is a start of a new experience simply adds details. Section B I. Language Points 1. We are in Montreal, in an echoing, dark train station, and we are squeezed together on a bench… (Para.1) Meaning: We are in a noisy, dark train station in Montreal, and we are all pressed against each other on one bench uncomfortably. echo: v. (of places) repeat a sound His footsteps echoed in the empty hall. 他的脚步声在空荡荡的大厅内回响。 The room echoed with the sound of their happy laughter. 房间里回荡着他们快乐的笑声。 2. Eventually, a man speaking broken Polish approaches us,… (Para.1) Meaning: Finally, a man who can speak Polish, though not fluently, comes up to us, ... 3.Eventually, a man speaking broken Polish approaches us, … (Para.1) approach: 1) v. come near to He approached the old lady slowly, having no idea how to tell her the bad news.他慢慢地走 近老太太, 不知道该怎么把坏消息告诉她。 As summer approaches, the weather becomes hotter. 夏天临近了，天气越来越热了。 2) n. act of approaching The little boy ran away as fast as he could at their approach. 他们走近时，小男孩拼命跑开 了。 4.And so begins yet another segment of this longest journey -- all the longer because we don’t exactly know when it will end, when we’ll reach our destination. (Para.1) Meaning: And then another part of this very long journey begins, and it seems to be longer as we don’t know exactly where our destination is and when we’ll reach there