Summary写作技巧

Summary写作技巧 Summary •By summary, we mean a brief restatement, in your own words, of the content of a passage, an article, a chapter or a book. A summary should be brief, complete, accurate, coherent and objective. •Brief: omit unnecessary details like examples, explanations and other unimportant information. Length: 1/5---1/4 of the original text •Complete: to include all the main and supporting points delivered in your own words in a condensed manner. •Accurate: to give the same attention and stress to the points as the author does. •Coherent: rather than an outline listed as key words and phrases, a summary is a paragraph with necessary transitions and function structures to make it flow. e.g.: first, in the first part, in the introductory part second, next, in the second part then, afterwards, after that, in addition to that, also, furthermore finally, at last, in the end, as a conclusion, on the whole, in a word, to sum up, last but not least, as a result, so •Objective: Do not include your own ideas or emotions on the topic. The summary should reflect the content of the original passage only. Read •Read the passage carefully. •Determine its structure. • Identify the author's purpose in writing. (This will help you to distinguish between more important and less important information.) •Reread, label, and underline. This time divide the passage into sections or stages of thought. The author's use of paragraphing will often be a useful guide. Label, on the passage itself, each section or stage of thought. Underline key ideas and terms. Write •Write one-sentence summaries, on a separate sheet of paper, of each stage of thought. •Write a thesis--a one-sentence summary of the entire passage. The thesis should express the central idea of the passage, as you have determined it from the preceding steps. •You may find it useful to keep in mind the information contained in the lead sentence or paragraph of most newspaper stories--the what, who, why, where, when, and how of the matter. •For persuasive passages, summarize in a sentence the author's conclusion. •For descriptive passages, indicate the subject of the description and its key features. •Write the first draft of your summary by (1) combining the thesis with your list of one-sentence summaries or (2) combining the thesis with one-sentence summaries plus significant details from the passage. In either case, eliminate repetition. Eliminate less important information. Disregard minor details, or generalize them. Use as few words as possible to convey the main ideas. Edit •Check your summary against the original passage, and make whatever adjustments are necessary for accuracy and completeness. •Revise your summary, inserting transitional words and phrases where necessary to ensure coherence. •Check for style. Avoid series of short, choppy sentences. •Combine sentences for a smooth, logical flow of ideas. •Check for grammatical correctness, punctuation, and spelling. Steps (a simple version) 1. skim the text to find out the general theme 2. analyze the text's structure to divide it into several sections, find out the main idea of each section and write it out briefly with your own words. (one sentence) 3. write down the key supporting points for each main idea without involving minor details. 4. organize the main and related supporting points in a logical order with necessary transitions to achieve coherence. 5. proofread for grammatical, spelling and punctuation mistakes. Methods: Make long sentence short: •“His courage in battle might without exaggeration be called lion-like.” ”He was very brave in battle.” •“He was hard up for money and was being pressed by his creditor.” “He was in financial difficulties.” Substitute sentences with clauses •“Beautiful mountains like Mount Tai, Lushan Mountain, and Mount Huang, were visited by only a few people in the past. Today, better wages, holidays with pay, new hotels on these mountains, and better train and bus services, have brought them within reach of many who never thought of visiting them ten years ago.” Beautiful mountains like Mount Tai, once visited by only a few people, are today accessible to many, thanks to better wages, paid holidays, new hotels and better transportation services.” Use general words to replace details •“She brought home several Chinese and English novels, a few copies of Time and Newsweek and some textbooks. She intended to read all of them during the winter vocation.” ”She brought home a lot of books to read during the vocation.” Use third person account to replace conversations •Kate looked at Paul disapprovingly: You use much too much salt on your food, Paul — it’s not good for you!” Paul put down his knife and frowned:”Why on earth not! If you didn’t have salt on your food it would taste awful… like eating cardboard or sand… just imagine bread without salt in it, or potatoes or pasta cooked without salt!” Kate was patient. She didn’t want to quarrel with Paul. She wanted to persuade him. She said firmly:”But too much salt is bad for you. It cause high blood pressure and latter on, heart-attacks. It also disguises the taste of food, the real tastes which are much more subtle than salt, and which we have lost the sensitivity to appreciate any more.” Kate suggested to Paul that he should eat less salt. She thought that eating too much salt would do hard to Paul’s health and that it could reduce the real tastes of food. But Paul disagreed. He said that food without salt would be tasteless.