Question

multiple choice question
read this passage adapted from a communications textbook. then, answer the question.
(1) listening is one of the most important concepts in human communication, yet many people find effective listening hard to define. (2) when someone says, “youre not listening to me!” what exactly does that statement mean? (3) we can think of listening as the active process of making meaning from another persons spoken message. (4) several details about that definition are important to note. (5) first, listening is an active process. (6) that means it isnt automatic; you have to make yourself listen to someone. (7) second, listening isnt just about hearing; listening is about creating meaning from what you hear. (8) it is about attending to someones words, or paying attention well enough to understand what that person is trying to communicate. (9) finally, listening deals with spoken messages. (10) we certainly pay attention to written messages, as well as to nonverbal messages, which influence our interpretation of peoples behaviors. (11) but we can engage in listening only when someone is speaking.
source: floyd, kory. communication matters. new york, ny, mcgraw - hill, 2014, p. 36, 128. copyright ©2014 mcgraw - hill education. all rights reserved. used with permission.
which sentence states the main idea of the passage?

Explanation:

The passage starts by stating that listening is a crucial concept in human - communication and then elaborates on its definition and characteristics. Sentence 1 sets the stage for the whole passage by introducing the importance of listening and the difficulty in defining it. Sentence 3 defines listening, sentences 5 - 9 expand on the details of the definition, and sentence 11 makes a side - note about other types of messages. So, the main idea is introduced in sentence 1.

Answer:

A. sentence 1