Worksheet 2 Topic, Main idea and Detail. Interactive worksheet ... - Free Printable

Let’s read the text carefully and break it down step by step.

The passage talks about how television affects American children. It starts with a general worry: “Many people are worried that television has caused a lot of effects on American children.” That’s the big idea — what the whole paragraph is mostly about.

Then, it gives four specific reasons (or supporting details) to explain that main idea:

1. Some teachers think TV takes away kids’ ability to learn mental pictures → so they can’t understand stories without seeing pictures.
2. Too much TV makes kids withdraw from real-life experiences.
3. Kids can’t understand the frustration of learning (because TV makes things easy or instant).
4. The most serious result: kids see violence on TV and start thinking violence is normal every day.

Now, let’s fill in the worksheet sections:

→ Topic: This is the general subject. The whole text is about how TV affects children. So we can say:
“Effects of Television on American Children”

→ Main Idea: This is the central point the author is making. The first sentence says many people are worried about TV’s effects — and then lists them. So the main idea is:
“Television has caused several negative effects on American children.”

→ Supporting Details: These are the 4 points listed in order:

1. Children lose the ability to form mental images, so they need pictures to understand stories.
2. Too much TV causes children to withdraw from real-life experiences.
3. Children cannot understand the frustration of learning.
4. Children begin to think violence is an everyday thing because of TV violence.

We’ll write each one clearly in the blanks.

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Final Answer:

Topic: Effects of Television on American Children

Main Idea: Television has caused several negative effects on American children.

Supporting detail 1: Children lose the ability to form mental images, so they need pictures to understand stories.

Supporting detail 2: Too much TV causes children to withdraw from real-life experiences.

Supporting detail 3: Children cannot understand the frustration of learning.

Supporting detail 4: Children begin to think violence is an everyday thing because of TV violence.