Summarize Non-Fiction Text

Which of the following statements is TRUE about SUMMARIZING?

• A summary should include many story details.

• A summary is always found in the first sentence of a paragraph or chapter.

• A summary should always be fiction.

• A summary is what the passage is mostly about.

Which BEST DESCRIBES a SUMMARY?

• Main or most important idea of the text

• A really long detailed piece of writing

• A dumb thing teachers make you write

• The entire text in your own words

Many people have not heard giraffes make noises. Giraffes do not use sounds to “talk” with each other. When hurt, giraffes make a low moo, something like a cow. When frightened, they make a short, high sound.

What is this paragraph mainly about?

• Giraffes do make noises.

• Giraffes talk all the time.

• Cows and giraffes talk to each other.

• Most people have heard giraffes talk.

Do you ever wonder how you taste things? You owe your sense of taste to your taste buds. We have 9,000 taste buds just on the tongue alone. There are also taste buds on the roof of your mouth. You even have taste buds on the back of your throat. What does the author want you to learn from this passage?

• Why we can only taste certain things

• Where taste buds are found

• That we taste through our noses

• We have taste buds on our tongues

If you are feeling sad, you can make yourself feel better by doing a few simple things. You can take a walk (or get another form of exercise), you can talk to a friend, or you can write down your feelings. Writing down the good things in your life will help too. Doing something good for someone else will also help you feel better. If you still feel a little sad, act happy. It works like magic to make you feel better!

What is the main idea?

• Sometimes people feel sad.

• You should do good things for others.

• We're not always happy.

• There are many ways to make yourself feel better.

Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer. Soccer players learn how to dribble and pass the ball. They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score. Most importantly, soccer players learn how to work together with their teammates.

What is the main idea?

• Soccer players learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score.

• Soccer players learn how to dribble.

• Soccer players learn how to work together as teammates.

• Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer.

A summary...

• ...includes your thoughts, feelings, and reactions about the text.

• ...is a detailed, lengthy written piece including all the facts.

• ...is a brief, biased piece of writing including important details from the text.

• ...is a brief, unbiased piece of writing including important details from the text.

You should always...

• ...copy the text word-for-word when summarizing.

• ...focus on the key ideas.

• ...write just a little bit about the text.

• ...capture the main ideas.

A summary should always...

• ...be significantly smaller than the original text

• ...be three sentences

• ...be 30 words or less.

• ...be bigger than the original text.

When working on a summary, I should always...

• ...make a list.

• ...include my opinion.

• ...use quotes from the text.

• ...restate it in my own words.