本段中心思想在结尾句得到体现，它是此段内容的结论。

例九：

For adults a cold is not that serious. However, this is not the case for children. Cold symptoms in children may be signs of more serious diseases and should be given prompt medical attention.

本段主题句为第二句，因为在however后面才是作者真正的看法，并在本文中进一步作了说明。

然而，我们也常常发现，有的主题思想并非直接由一、二个句子表述，而是在文中间接暗示着。这就需要读者根据文中细节进行概括与归纳，找出主题思想。

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为主题。根据文中的内容进行归纳，可找出主题思想，即：“The military's rejection rate for physical reason is increasing because this nation's lack of exercise is leading to poor health.”

在确定一篇文章的中心思想时，我们通常用快读的方法，从头至尾将全文浏览一遍，注意不要被个别词、句难住而停下来。要从上下文的连贯意思上来理解进行阐述的、有关这个主题我们了解了什么。这样，就可以比较有把握地概括出中心思想了。

在阅读理解测试中，常常用于检查对主题思想的掌握的问题有：

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?