PART II. WRITING WRITING SKILL: Summarizing Being able to summarize is a useful skill. In academic situations or in business, you may be asked to read articles and prepare a written or oral report that sums up the longer readings. Remember these key points when you summarize: 1. Read the texts thoroughly. 2. Write out clearly the main points, eliminate minor points. 3. Paraphrase. Use the words instead of word combinations and word combinations instead of sentences. Put the information you are summing up in your own words. If there is an important term or an idea that you cannot paraphrase, state it exactly as it is in the text and enclose it in quotation marks. 4. Include only the most important ideas. A summary does not include much supporting information or details. It does not bring in any information that is not in the original reading. 5. Be accurate. None of the information in a summary should contradict the information in the text. Exercises I. Following is a summary of the first four paragraphs of "The World of World Music." One important point is missing from the summary. There is also one sentence in each paragraph that does not belong. A. B. First, add the sentence to each paragraph that express an important idea which has been left out. Then, write out the sentence in each paragraph that does not belong. Summary of "The World of World Music" World Music is a general category of music from around the world. It includes old and new music as well as different forms. It may be sung, or it may be played on many types of instruments. Artists from all over the globe perform this type of music, which may be heard at festivals around the world. Youssou N'Dour is a World Music artist from Senegal. World Music has been used as a name for this kind of music for some time, but the musical category was created in 1987. British record executives met at that time and considered names for the category. They chose World Music because it is an inclusive name. They thought the name Ethnic Music was boring. After this meeting, it would be easy for retailers to classify this international music and for customers to find it in stores. This classification system was soon adopted in other countries Western musicians have helped world musicians in a number of ways. For example, Paul Simon has introduced listeners to music from Peru and from South Africa. Paul Simon used to belong to a musical duo called Simon and Garfunkel. The musicians Ian Anderson and Peter Gabriel have also supported World Music. There are two main types of World Music. The second type, which has a number of names, combines one form of traditional music with Western music or with another form of traditional music. Bob Marley performed at a concert in Harare in 1980 to celebrate Zimbabwean independence. II. Summarize the last paragraph of the reading. Review the keys to summarizing before you begin.
