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Skill: Writing A Summary

The article provides advice for preparing for a first job interview. It recommends making a list of potential questions and practicing answers that include examples from your experience. Students should describe situations they faced, the actions they took, and the results achieved. The article concludes by telling students not to get discouraged from interviewing, as each experience provides practice.

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194 views

Skill: Writing A Summary

The article provides advice for preparing for a first job interview. It recommends making a list of potential questions and practicing answers that include examples from your experience. Students should describe situations they faced, the actions they took, and the results achieved. The article concludes by telling students not to get discouraged from interviewing, as each experience provides practice.

Uploaded by

杉山輝
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ng Skill Writing a summary

e for Success
To prepare to write
A summary is a shorter version of the original text. When you write a summary,
you tell the reader the main ideas using some words from the text and some of
a summary, you may your own words.
want to outline a text
as you read . See the
Reading Skill box Before you write a summary
on page 163 for
instructions on 1. Read the entire text and ask yourself what the author's purpose is.
outlining as a
reading strategy.
2. Reread the introductory paragraph(s) and find the thesis statement.
3. Reread the rest of the text. In each paragraph, highlight, underline, or circle the
main idea and key points. You can also annotate the important information.

When you write a summary


1. Begin by stating the title of the text, the author's full name (if it's given), and
his or her purpose for writing.
2. Use the text you highlighted or annotated to explain the author's thesis and
main ideas.
3. Remember to:
• keep the summary short (about one-third to one-fourth as long as
the original).
• include only the original text's main ideas. Do not include details,
examples, information that is not in the original, or your own opinion.
• write the summary mostly in your own words, but do not change the
author's ideas. (This is called paraphrasing.)

A. Read the article about preparing for a job interview. Follow steps 1-3 in
Before you write a summary in the Writing Skill box. Then answer the
questions on page 174.

Preparing for Your First Job Interview


By Jim Sweeny
You 've just graduated from school. Now comes the scary part: interviewing
for your first job. For many recent graduates, this is an 'anxiety-provoking time.
However, there are some simple ways to prepare for this challenging experience .
First, you should make a list of the questions you might be asked. In many job
interviews, you have to answer questions about your academic experience and
how it has prepared you for the job. For example , you might be asked to discuss

I Reading and Writi~g 173


how your participation in student government
or sports has given you experience working
on a team. You Will, of course, also be asked
how your experience and talents fit with the
company's goals.
Once you've got your questions, you
should then think about possible answers
and practice responding to them. Employers
will expect you to talk in detail about your
experience and use examples. Make sure that
your answers describe particular situations
you faced, the actions you took , and the
results you achieved . Once you 've got your
responses, try practicing on your friends
or family members. This will make you feel
comfortable speaking in front of a person.
Finally, don't get discouraged if you aren't hired the first , second, or third time
you interview. Think of every interview as practice for the most important one: the
interview that will get you a job.

1. What is the author's purpose for writing the text?


a. He's describing his first job interview experience.
b. He's comparing and contrasting two interviewing styles.
c. He's explaining how to get ready for a job interview.

2. What is the thesis statement?

3. What are the two main ideas that support the thesis statement?

4. In the last paragraph, how does the author conclude the article?
a. He restates the article's main points.
b. He makes a final suggestion.
c. He makes a prediction about the future.

174 UNIT 7 I Does school prepare you for work?


B. Read these two summaries of the article on pages 173-174. Complete the
checklist below for each one. Then answer the questions.

Summaryl
In t he essay "Preparing for Your First Job Interview," author Jim Sweeny gives ,
advice to rece nt graduates who are interviewing for their first job. Specifically, he
says that there are thi ngs they can do to prepare for the interview. First, Sweeny
tell s students t hat they shou ld make a list of questions they might be asked .
These questions are usually about how a person's school experience relates to
t he j ob he or she is applying for. Th en Sweeny says t hat stud ents s hould prepare
answers to the questions and practice responding to them, and he explains a
way to do rhis. In conclusion, he te lls students not to get discouraged by the
interviewing process.

Summary 2
In the essay " How to Prepare for Your First Interview," author Sweeny gives
advice to recent graduates who are interviewing for their first job. He says that
looking for a first job is stressful , but there are ways to prepare for an interview.
Sweeny says that students should be prepared to answer questions about their
school experience and how it relates to the job they are applying for. In fact, the
questions I was asked at my first interview were about my school activities. In
conclusion, he tells students not to get discouraged by the interviewing process.

The summary ... Summary 1 Summary 2

1. states the original text's title. D D


-
2. states the author's full name (if given). D D
--
3. states the author's purpose for writing. D D
- - - _. - - --
4. identifies the thesis statement. D D
5. identifies all of the text's main ideas. D D
6. does not include details or other information D D
not in the text.

7. is mostly written in the student's own words. D D


8. is clear and easy to follow. D D

1. Which summary is better? _ _ _ _ _ __ _ __ __ _ ______

2. Why? ______________________________________________

Reading and Writing 175

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