1. Which is the best definition of a summary?
A. a detailed analysis of the themes and symbols in a story
B. a brief statement of the main points of a piece of writing
C. an introductory description that ends with a hook
D. a retelling of a story using words similar to the original words
2. What is an objective summary?
A. a list of the desires and goals of each major character in a story
B. a brief description of the main points of a text that uses only information from the text
C. a thoughtful critical evaluation of a work of literature
D. a one- or two-paragraph review or recommendation of a piece of writing
3. Which is an objective summary of this paragraph?
A. The narrator no longer thinks of Stephen Mackaye despite having spent much time with him.
B. The narrator used to be close to Stephen Mackaye but now considers him a horrible person.
C. The Chilcoot Trail was famous as a difficult pass for gold prospectors in the Klondike.
D. The Klondike gold rush often sowed hatred and discord between those who had previously been friends.
4. Which of these details would be most important to include in a summary of the story? Drag four items to the box of details to include and drag three items to the box of details not to include.
Details to Include
Details to Include
The narrator and Stephen bought Spot pushed their sled.
The main characters are the narrator, his good friends Stephen Mackaye, and the dog they bought spot
the breed of spot was unknown.
Spot Weighed 60 pounds.
The narrator and Stephen Mackaye Were once close friends.
The story takes place in the Klondike in 1897
The narrator nursed Stephen Mackaye through typhoid fever
5. Which sentence provides the most accurate objective summary of this paragraph?
A. Spot was a dog who seemed to have an almost human intelligence.
B. When a sled dog refuses to work and eats more than his share, prospectors have few options but to kill the dog.
C. Steve once mocked the narrator for his inability to follow through on a plan.
D. both Steve and the narrator tried to kill Spot but were unable to, fearing his preternatural intelligence.
1. The best definition of a summary is B. a brief statement of the main points of a piece of writing. To determine the best definition, you can look at each option and analyze which one accurately describes a summary. Option A talks about a detailed analysis, which is not characteristic of a summary. Option C mentions an introductory description ending with a hook, which is more related to an introduction or a hook itself. Option D refers to a retelling of a story using similar words, which is not the main purpose of a summary. Therefore, option B is the best choice as it captures the essence of a summary by focusing on the main points of a piece of writing in a concise manner.
2. An objective summary is B. a brief description of the main points of a text that uses only information from the text. To identify the correct choice, you can assess each option. Option A mentions desires and goals of characters, which is not the main focus of an objective summary. Option C refers to a critical evaluation, which goes beyond simply summarizing the main points. Option D talks about a review or recommendation, which is not the same as a summary. Option B accurately describes an objective summary by highlighting that it should be brief and solely based on the information presented in the text.
3. The objective summary of the paragraph is D. The Klondike gold rush often sowed hatred and discord between those who had previously been friends. To determine the objective summary, you need to analyze the content of the paragraph and identify the main point without including personal opinions or interpretations. Options A and B add personal opinions about the narrator's thoughts or feelings towards Stephen Mackaye, which are not mentioned in the paragraph. Option C introduces information about the Chilcoot Trail, which is not the main focus of the paragraph. Option D accurately summarizes the main point that the Klondike gold rush led to animosity and conflict among previously friendly individuals.
4. Details to include in the summary:
- The narrator and Stephen bought Spot and pushed their sled.
- The main characters are the narrator, his good friend Stephen Mackaye, and the dog they bought named Spot.
- The narrator nursed Stephen Mackaye through typhoid fever.
- The story takes place in the Klondike in 1897.
Details not to include in the summary:
- The breed of Spot was unknown.
- Spot weighed 60 pounds.
- The narrator and Stephen Mackaye were once close friends.
To determine the most important details to include in a summary, you should focus on the main plot points, significant characters, and relevant context. The mentioned details provide key information about the storyline, relationships, and setting of the story. The details not to include are less crucial to understanding the main points and can be omitted from the summary.
5. The sentence that provides the most accurate objective summary of the paragraph is B. When a sled dog refuses to work and eats more than his share, prospectors have few options but to kill the dog. To identify the objective summary, you need to analyze each sentence and assess its accuracy in capturing the main points without personal opinions or interpretations. Option A mentions the dog's intelligence, which is not the primary focus of the paragraph. Option C introduces mocking between characters, which is unrelated to the main topic. Option D adds speculative information about the characters' failed attempts to kill the dog due to its intelligence. Option B accurately summarizes the main point that when a sled dog becomes uncooperative and consumes more than its fair share, prospectors have limited choices, often resorting to killing the dog.
1. B. a brief statement of the main points of a piece of writing
2. B. a brief description of the main points of a text that uses only information from the text
3. A. The narrator no longer thinks of Stephen Mackaye despite having spent much time with him.
4. Details to Include: The main characters are the narrator, his good friends Stephen Mackaye, and the dog they bought spot. Spot weighed 60 pounds. The narrator and Stephen Mackaye were once close friends. The story takes place in the Klondike in 1897.
Details not to Include: The narrator and Stephen bought Spot pushed their sled. The breed of Spot was unknown. The narrator nursed Stephen Mackaye through typhoid fever.
5. B. When a sled dog refuses to work and eats more than his share, prospectors have few options but to kill the dog.
1. The best definition of a summary is B. a brief statement of the main points of a piece of writing.
2. An objective summary is B. a brief description of the main points of a text that uses only information from the text.
3. The objective summary of the paragraph is A. The narrator no longer thinks of Stephen Mackaye despite having spent much time with him.
4. Details to include in the summary are:
- The main characters are the narrator, his good friends Stephen Mackaye, and the dog they bought, Spot.
- Spot weighed 60 pounds.
- The story takes place in the Klondike in 1897.
- The narrator nursed Stephen Mackaye through typhoid fever.
Details not to include in the summary are:
- The narrator and Stephen bought Spot and pushed their sled.
- The breed of Spot was unknown.
- The narrator and Stephen Mackaye were once close friends.
5. The most accurate objective summary of the paragraph is B. When a sled dog refuses to work and eats more than his share, prospectors have few options but to kill the dog.