Is just reading the main idea of a paragraph in a novel effective? Like do you still get the same information as if you read the whole paragraph?

How will you know where the main idea is in any given paragraph?

Best to read it all!

=)

I usually read until I figure out the main idea and then I scan the remainder of the paragraph which is basically details of the main idea. This is a technique that my 7th english teacher taught me.

It depends what you want out of the reading. You definitely will lose some details. It depends on how important these details are to the story.

It sounds like you have to read a novel as a requirement and want to minimize your reading to get the essence of the story. Will you be qizzed on the novel? Do you have to write a report?

Without knowing the writing style or the novel itself, it is hard to say whether you will get the information you need. I would suggest reading the whole story as it is written.

Sorry that I cannot be of more help. Thanks for asking.

Thank you for asking.

Our teacher just told us to read it, she might do like a pop quiz or something like to make sure that we're reading the book.

By the way, the novel is "A Night to Remember" by Walter Lord

When reading a paragraph in a novel, just focusing on the main idea can provide you with a general understanding of the content. However, reading only the main idea might cause you to miss out on important details and nuances that the author has included. To fully comprehend the paragraph, it is typically more effective to read the entire paragraph.

By reading the entire paragraph, you gain a more complete understanding of the context, supporting information, and any emotional or descriptive elements that contribute to the overall meaning. Reading the whole paragraph enables you to grasp the author's intended message and immerse yourself fully in the narrative.

To summarize, while reading the main idea alone can give you a basic understanding of the content, reading the whole paragraph is generally more effective in comprehending the author's message and fully experiencing the story.