Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Summarizing and Paraphrasing
Summarizing and Paraphrasing
Summarizing and Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing
What?
Why?
How?
Original:
“When the Maracana soccer stadium (in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) was opened to
the public in 1950, and Brazil lost the World Cup to the Uruguayan team, the
Brazilians were so disheartened one had the impression that the country itself
had died. And people did die of sadness. Mere threats of defeat in a
championship match can cause heart attacks, and the despair of the public is so
great that many beat their heads against the cement posts. Such is the
Brazilians’ passion for soccer” (de Moraes and Gullar, p13).
Paraphrase:
In 1950, when Brazil was defeated by Uruguay for the World Cup in Soccer in
their new stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilians were so dejected that it seemed
the whole country had perished. In fact, some citizens actually did die of sorrow.
Brazilians react very strongly even to the possibility of defeat in championship
soccer games; soccer fans pound their heads against cement posts and even
suffer heart attacks. Such reactions prove that Brazilians are very emotional
about soccer (de Moraes and Gullar, p13).
The rise of industry, the growth of cities, and the expansion of the population
were the three great developments of late nineteenth century American history.
As new, larger, steam-powered factories became a feature of the American
landscape in the East, they transformed farm hands into industrial labourers,
and provided jobs for a rising tide of immigrants. With industry came
urbanization the growth of large cities (like Fall River, Massachusetts, where the
Bordens lived) which became the centres of production as well as of commerce
and trade.
Paraphrase:
The increase of industry, the growth of cities, and the explosion of the
population were three large factors of nineteenth century America. As steam-
driven companies became more visible in the eastern part of the country, they
changed farm hands into factory workers and provided jobs for the large wave
of immigrants. With industry came the growth of large cities like Fall River where
the Bordens lived which turned into centres of commerce and trade as well as
production.
The rise of industry, the growth of cities, and the expansion of the population
were the three great developments of late nineteenth century American history.
As new, larger, steam-powered factories became a feature of the American
landscape in the East, they transformed farm hands into industrial labourers,
and provided jobs for a rising tide of immigrants. With industry came
urbanization the growth of large cities (like Fall River, Massachusetts, where the
Bordens lived) which became the centres of production as well as of commerce
and trade.
Paraphrase:
Fall River, where the Borden family lived, was typical of northeastern industrial
cities of the nineteenth century. Steampowered production had shifted labour
from agriculture to manufacturing, and as immigrants arrived in the US, they
found work in these new factories. As a result, populations grew, and large
urban areas arose. Fall River was one of these manufacturing and commercial
centres (Williams, p.1).
The rise of industry, the growth of cities, and the expansion of the population
were the three great developments of late nineteenth century American history.
As new, larger, steam-powered factories became a feature of the American
landscape in the East, they transformed farm hands into industrial labourers,
and provided jobs for a rising tide of immigrants. With industry came
urbanization the growth of large cities (like Fall River, Massachusetts, where the
Bordens lived) which became the centres of production as well as of commerce
and trade.
Paraphrase:
Fall River, where the Borden family lived, was typical of northeastern industrial
cities of the nineteenth century. As steampowered production shifted labour
from agriculture to manufacturing, the demand for workers "transformed farm
hands into factory workers,“ and created jobs for immigrants. In turn, growing
populations increased the size of urban areas. Fall River was one of these
manufacturing hubs that were also "centres of commerce and trade" (Williams,
p.1).
SUMMARIZING
Outline
A. Brazil lost the world cup in 1950.
1. Entire country was sad
2. Some people died
Summary
The Brazilian people are very emotional about soccer. In 1950 when their team
lost the World Cup to Uruguay, the entire country was saddened, and some
people even died. Even the possibility of defeat may cause people to have heart
attacks or injure themselves (de Moraes & Gullar, 1977).
Freud, Kant, Beethoven, Dante, Einstein and Julius Caesar – what do they have in
common? All of these eminent men were firstborn children. Although many laterborn
children also become famous, certain studies hint that a firstborn child is more likely to
excel. For example, more firstborns become National Merit Scholars, earn more doctor’s
degrees and rate mention in Who’s Who.
Others suggest that firstborn children have a higher need to achieve (Rosen, 1964). This
need to achieve may be an outcome of the special relationship between firstborn children
and their parents. Firstborns have their parents’ exclusive attention and seem to interact
more with parents than other children (Gerwirtz & Gerwirtz, 1965). Parents of firstborns
also seem to expect more of them (Hilton, 1967). As a result, firstborns may seek
approval by conforming to adult standards, including standards of achievement.
Whatever the reasons, firstborn children do tend to be more conforming, shyer, more
anxious than their siblings – and more likely to outdo them. (From Psychology, p101).
According to Charles G. Morris in his discussion of firstborns on p 101 of
Psychology, the first child in a family is more likely to have achieved excellence
than are those children who are born later. Scientists explain this in a number of
ways. The firstborn has a greater opportunity to receive higher education, if only
financial elements are considered. Another suggestion is that these children
have a deeper motivation for achievement, possibly resulting from the way they
relate to adults, particularly their parents, who have very high expectations for
them. Thus, firstborn children try to gain acceptance through conformity and
meeting the high standards set for them.
Source:
Swales, J. (1990). Genre analysis: English in academic and research settings.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp 149 and 153
Positive opinions:
Verbs of uncertainty
This category is used to report the
content of another writer's expression of
doubt or uncertainty.
Consider the excerpt from the previous section. What subtle difference in
message might you receive as a reader if it were written as follows?