Which statement best identifies the main idea of a text?

• A. The sequence of events
• B. The central message or claim
• C. The setting and characters
• D. The author's tone

Answer: (B)

The main idea is the central message or claim the author wants you to take away. Everything in the text—facts, examples, and details—builds toward that idea. It’s not about the order of events, the setting and characters, or the author’s attitude alone; those elements can support or illustrate the main idea, but they aren’t the main idea themselves. To find it, look for the idea the passage repeatedly emphasizes or the claim the author is trying to argue or explain. That central message or claim is what the text is really about, and the other elements zone in on or illustrate that core point.