Reading 35–38 The Main Idea of a Text

Reading · Hard

The answer is often in the last sentence

Items 35–38 have you read a full passage and pick what it is ultimately saying — its main idea (central point). Where items 32–34 are solved by matching individual sentences, this type asks you to find the conclusion that runs through the whole text, which makes it feel a step harder. You cannot finish by checking a single fact in the passage; you have to synthesize which direction several sentences are all pointing toward, which demands stronger reading comprehension. A passage usually follows a structure where the first sentence raises the topic, the middle gives examples or evidence, and the last sentence or last paragraph closes with the writer's conclusion or recommendation. So reading just the beginning and the end can already give you a sense of where the main idea is heading. But this structure is not always followed honestly — even if a sentence in the middle looks like a conclusion, you need to check all the way to the last sentence to be safe. The most common trap is mistaking one interesting example in the middle for the main idea, and choosing an option that expands the scope with absolute words like 'all' or 'never' beyond what the passage actually covers. Remember that an example is only material supporting the main idea, not the main idea itself. The more concrete and memorable an example is, the easier it is to mistake it for the main idea, so you need the habit of asking yourself, 'what is this example ultimately meant to show?' as you read. If your target is Level 3, it is fine to guess this section wholesale along with items 39 and beyond, but if you are aiming for Level 4 or above, this type is actually worth investing more time in than 32–34. Once you learn the trick to finding the main idea, it is a reading skill that carries over directly to other tests and other texts, so the practice pays off longer than with other types.

The Main Idea of a Text

• 결국 — A signal expression used near the end of a text to gather the preceding discussion into one conclusion. The sentence right after this word is very likely to be the main idea.
• 요컨대 — Used to summarize a long preceding explanation into one sentence. The main idea comes condensed right after this expression.
• 이처럼 — Used to bundle preceding examples or evidence together before moving to a conclusion. It is not the example itself but the sentence after '이처럼' that is the main idea.
• -라고 할 수 있다 — A closing form used to state the writer's judgment or conclusion in a softened, indirect way. When it is attached to the end of a sentence, that sentence is likely to be the topic sentence.
• 따라서 — A causal connective adverb used to draw a logical conclusion from preceding evidence. The sentence that follows is often the writer's final claim.
• 그러므로 — A concluding connective with the same function as '따라서', often used in written, expository style. It builds a conclusion in the following sentence based on what came before.
• 다시 말해 — Used to restate the preceding sentence in other words while reaffirming the core point. It expresses the same content in a more condensed form, closer to the main idea.
• 무엇보다 — Used to emphasize the single most essential point among several reasons or factors. What follows this expression is what the writer weighs most heavily, directly tied to the main idea.
• 중요한 것은 ~(이)다 — An emphatic construction that lists several conditions and then points out which one is truly essential. Whatever fills this frame is the main idea.
• -아/어야 한다 — A closing form the writer uses to directly state an obligation or claim. In a text with an argument rather than a plain explanation, the sentence ending this way is often the main idea.
• 그런데(전환 뒤 강조) — When a passage first presents a common belief in the middle and then turns direction with this connective, what comes after the turn is often the writer's real claim.

• A concluding or recommending expression in the last paragraph ('therefore', '따라서', '그러므로', '~해야 한다')
• A core noun that repeats throughout the whole text
• A marker that an example or statistic is evidence, not the main idea itself

• Identify what topic the text deals with from the first sentence
• Skim the examples and evidence in the middle paragraphs without memorizing the details
• Confirm the writer's conclusion or claim in the last sentence (or last paragraph)
• Among the options, distinguish one that only reflects a single example from one that covers the whole text

• Mistaking one interesting example in the middle of the passage for the main idea
• Choosing an option that expands the main idea too broadly, covering a scope the passage never addresses

This asks for the conclusion of the whole text rather than matching a detail, so keeping 'what is this text ultimately trying to say' in mind from your first read saves time.