例十：

　　It's no wonder that we have so many rejections for physical reasons in our Selective Service. Since October of 1948, some six million young men have been examined for military duty. Of these, more than a million were rejected as physically unfit for military service. To get two men today, the United States Army must call seven men. Of the five rejected three are turned down for physical reasons and two for mental problems. To get the 196 thousand additional men we needed for Berlin, the government had to call up 750 thousand men. And the rejection rate is increasing each year. The reason for this problem is that we are under exercised as a nation. We look, instead of play. We ride, instead of walk. The way we live prevents us from being healthy.

　　本段中找不到某一句作為主 題。根據文中的內容進行歸納，可找出主題思想，即：“The military's rejection rate for physical reason is increasing because this nation's lack of exercise is leading to poor health.”

　　在確定一篇文章的中心思想時，我們通常用快讀的方法，從頭至尾將全文瀏覽一遍，注意不要被個別詞、句難住而停下來。要從上下文的連貫意思上來理解進行闡述的、有關這個主題我們了解了什么。這樣，就可以比較有把握地概括出中心思想了。

　　在閱讀理解測試中，常常用于檢查對主題思想的掌握的問題有：

　　1. The main (central, principal) idea of this passage is __________________ .

　　2. The main idea of this selection may be best expressed as __________________.

　　3. The main theme (topic) of the passage is __________________ .

　　4. The passage is mainly about __________________ .

　　5. This passage deals mainly (primarily) with __________________ .

　　6. The author's purpose in writing this passage is __________________ .

　　7. The main purpose of the passage is __________________ .

　　8. The best (most appropriate) title of (for) this passage is __________________ .

　　9. What would be the most appropriate title for this passage?

　　10. What is the subject of this passage?

　　11. Which of the following best summarizes the passage?

　　12. Which of the following best sums up the main idea of the whole passage