What is the main idea of a text?

• A. The central point the author is conveying.
• B. The sequence of events in the story.
• C. The narrator's bias signals the stance.
• D. The plot describes the setting.

Answer: (A)

The main idea is the central point the author is conveying. It’s the overall message or claim that the text is built around, something you could summarize in one sentence. Details, examples, and evidence in the passage are there to support that main idea. It’s different from the sequence of events (plot), which is about what happens in the story, and from the setting, which describes where and when the story takes place. It’s also distinct from any bias or stance the narrator shows; those relate to perspective, not the text’s big takeaway.

In the given text, the main idea would be the core message the author wants you to understand about the topic, not just a list of events or descriptive elements.