Writing a summary

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Writing a summary
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Steps of writing a summary

1. Make clear the subject matter the authors
   position
2. Select necessary supporting details
3. Write a one-sentence summary of the above
4. Write your first draft
5. Improve the first draft to make a better summary

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Steps of Writing a summary
Text A, Unit 2, Book II

• I. (1)-(4) Introduction
• II. (5)-(13) Folksy way
• III. (14)-(22) Love for the Wal-Mart team

The subject matter What kind of person he is
The authors position Folksy
The authors position Love for the community
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Steps of Writing a summary

1. Make clear the subject matter the authors
   position
2. Select necessary supporting details
3. Write a one-sentence summary of the above
4. Write your first draft
5. Improve the first draft to make a better summary

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Steps of Writing a summary

1. Subject matter This text describes what kind of
   person Sam Walton is.
2. Position He keeps a folksy way of life. For
   instance, .
3. Position He loves his company and his
   employees. First, .

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Steps of Writing a summary

1. Make clear the subject matter the authors
   position
2. Select necessary supporting details
3. Write a one-sentence summary of the above
4. Write your first draft
5. Improve the first draft to make a better summary

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Write a better summary

• A good summary is characterized by the following
• Proper citation title, author, source, etc.
• Thesis statement subject matter position
• Supporting details major ones
• Grammar communicate to the reader clearly
• Length 1/4 1/3 of the original writing

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Writing a better summary

• I. (1)-(4) Introduction
• II. (5)-(13) Folksy way
• III. (14)-(22) Love for the Wal-Mart team

The subject matter What kind of person he is
Citation Jamie Beaulieu to serve at the party
know Sam Walton better what kind of person
Sam Walton is
Citation ???
The authors position Folksy
The authors position Love for the community
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Write a better summary

• A good summary is characterized by the following
• Proper citation title, author, source, etc.
• Thesis statement subject matter position
• Supporting details major ones
• Grammar communicate to the reader clearly
• Length 1/4 1/3 of the original writing

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Steps of Writing a summary
Text A, Unit 2, Book II

• I. (1)-(4) Introduction
• II. (5)-(13) Folksy way
• III. (14)-(22) Love for the Wal-Mart team

The subject matter What kind of person he is
This text describes what kind of person he is.
The authors position Folksy
He keeps a folksy way of life.
The authors position Love for the community
He has great love for his community.
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Write a better summary

• A good summary is characterized by the following
• Proper citation title, author, source, etc.
• Thesis statement subject matter position
• Supporting details major ones
• Grammar communicate to the reader clearly
• Length 1/4 1/3 of the original writing

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Characteristics of a good summary

• Can be understood without reference to the
  original
• Is a faithful reproduction of the original
• Is brief without any unnecessary detail
• Is a readable unified whole.

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Autumn - description

• Rich with fruit and grain, autumn is the season
  for harvest. Inspired by the beautiful scenery
  made up by trees, flowers, and falling rains, the
  author determined to study hard and have a
  harvest in all his subjects.

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Johnny Shiloh - narration

• Full of courage and determination, little Johnny
  managed to serve in the union army during the
  American civil war when he was only nine years
  old. Acting bravely like a boy warrior, he won
  the name of Johnny Shiloh in the war. After the
  war, he was given a commission in the US army by
  president Grant for his unbelievable
  accomplishment.

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Why we walk in circles - exposition

• Men and animals will walk or fly in circles when
  they cannot use their eyes to control the
  direction, which is caused by the uneven muscle
  development between the two legs or wings.

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Challenge old beliefs argumentation

• When helium cooled to very low temperature, it
  will appear to violate the laws of gravity. By
  citing this example, the author argues that many
  things accepted as certain are actually not
  certain and that anyone determined to advance
  science must have a capacity for original thought
  and for taking corresponding action.

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The discovery of relativity principle - exposition

• Reflecting on the relative movement of two ships,
  Sir Isaac Newton discovered the Newtonian or
  Galilean relativity principle mechanical laws
  which are valid in one place are equally valid in
  any other place which moves uniformly relative to
  the first.

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Learn to write

• Writing activities

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Writing activities

• Pair work
• Group work
• Class work

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Pair work

• Each of you will get a strip of paper, on which
  there is an incomplete sentence.
• Walk around and find the one who has the other
  half of the sentence and sit with him\her.
• Work in pairs to figure out the meaning of the
  proverb you get.
• Compose a story which can best illustrate the
  proverb. Do not contain the proverb itself in
  your story.

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Group work

• Work with another two pairs.
• Read your stories to your group in turn.
• Choose the best story in your group.
• Paraphrase the other proverbs together.

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Class work

• Read the selected story in front of the class.
• Lets see whether those outside your group can
  tell which proverb you are trying to illustrate.
• Paraphrase the other proverbs in your group to
  the class.