Summarizing Literary Text

Summaries should include: characters, settings, events, and __________.

• cause and effect.

• problem and solution.

• theme.

• details.

Select the three sentences that should be included in a summary of paragraphs 1 through 9 of the passage.

• Jason, a human, a Bindor, and Centini are best friends despite being very different.

• Jason is on a trip to visit his best friend when fierce winds blow his craft around.

• Imagery from the weather satellites did not predict the sandstorm on Luyten Three.

• Jason is scared of how powerful the sandstorm is, but Mr. Dama, the dirver, seems calm.

• After a gust flips the crawler over, Jason hears a leak from Mr. Dama's suit and realizes they could die.

What are the 4 steps to writing a good summary for a literary text?

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A good summary of a literary text includes plot events in ______, or the order in which they happened.

• compare/contrast

• sequence

• reverse

A summary of a literary text should include which of the following?

• Details about the characters

• Major plot events

• Minor plot events

• Your opinions about the story

Which sentence best summarizes how Jason reacts after the crawler crashes?

• He gives in to the urge to panic.

• He deals with the situation as best he can.

• He imagines what it will be like to be a hero.

• He goes looking for his backpack.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is B. It summarizes Jason's thoughts and actions after the accident.

A is incorrect because Jason does not panic.

C is incorrect because Jason does not spend time imagining himself as a hero.

D is an action Jason takes, but it is only one part of his overall reaction, which is to deal with the situation as best as he can.

Select three sentences that should be included in a summary of paragraphs 1 though 9 of the story.

• A, C, and G

• B, D, and E

• D, F, and G

• B, E, and G

• C, E, and F

Answer explanation

The correct choices are B, E, and G. These sentences state key details about the characters, setting, problem, and events.

A describes Jason's friendship with Bindor. This is an important idea in the story, but it doesn't need to be included in a summary of paragraphs 1-9.

C, D, and F describe less important details about the events.

Which statement best summarizes the main idea of the text?

• New experiences sometimes bring danger.

• It is important to take care of the people you care for.

• People from very different backgrounds can be friends.

• In an emergency, stay calm and think before taking action.

Answer explanation

The correct choice is D. The entire story illustrates how Jason had to stay calm and think so that Mr. Dama would not die.

A, B, and C are incorrect because they are minor ideas that appear only in isolated parts of the story.

When would you most likely summarize a book?

• when you want to forget a book you've read

• when you want to tell a friend your opinion of a book but not what it was about

• when you want to tell a friend the gist or main ideas of a book

• when you don't understand a vocabulary word you read in a book

You should write your summary

• in your own words with complete sentences

• in a secret language that you make up

• in one draft without revising

• in fragments without punctuation