SUMMARY WRITING

FOR SPM 1119/2

 TASK REQUIREMENT
 130 words (including the 10 words
given)
 15 marks (10 for contents & 5 for
language)

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SUMMARY TESTS THE STUDENTS’ ABILITY TO:

 extract important points from the passage

 pick out the main points
 indicate where the important points are
 make an outline of the points
 substitute expressions with single words
 use alternative vocabulary

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 REMEMBER !!!!

 Read the question to understand the task

 Identify the section to be summarized
 Read the passage again
 Underline the relevant points
 Write the summary in ONE paragraph
 Begin with the 10 words given
 Leave out unnecessary details
 Follow the sequence of events in the passage
 Write 130 words (count them)

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Based on the passage given, write a summary on:

“
• the suggestions given by Mahes to promote laughter therapy at the office.

Credit will be given for use of own words but care must be taken not to change the
original meaning.

Your summary must:

• be in continuous writing form (not in note form)
• use material from lines 16 to 34
• not be longer than 130 words, including the 10 words given below

Begin your summary as follows: Mahes suggests that laughter clubs are set up to
make ...

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BRIEF
Use the BRIEF technique.
What is BRIEF?

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B - BOX 1 7
 BOX IT
◉ This is VERY SIMPLE.
◉ Just draw a box on the paper. Start the
first horizontal line ABOVE the line
mentioned in the instruction and
another AFTER the last line mentioned.

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R - READ 2 9
 READ AGAIN
◉ This is not simply reading. Focus on
what you are going to summarize.
Especially the one in the box.

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I - IDENTIFY 3 11
 IDENTIFY THE MAIN
POINTS
◉ This means you must identify the points/
key ideas that are relevant to what the
instructions want. Be careful of what the
question wants. Highlight the keywords.

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E - EXTRACT 4 13
EXTRACTING THE POINTS
◉ This basically means when you have identified the
ideas, you have to take the idea out from the text and
ON A PIECE OF A DIFFERENT PAPER, write them out
again ACCORDING TO THE ORDER THEY ARE
FOUND IN THE PASSAGE.
◉ Making this list of ideas/points is CRUCIAL because we
need to weed out the unnecessary details and to
recheck whether the ideas we identify is relevant or not.
◉ Remember, only highlighting on the text IS NOT
ENOUGH. You have to REWRITE THE POINTS.

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F - FINALIZE 4 15
FINALIZE YOUR SUMMARY
◉ Use the sentence as an opener for your summary given
to start writing a paragraph of summary. Be sure not to
exceed 120 words.
◉ Don’t forget to count the words.

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