Reading: Reading Fluency & Strategies: B1 Lesson 4: Summarizing Main Points of a Paragraph or Short Text
CEFR Level: B1 (Intermediate)
Target Reading Sub-skill: Reading Fluency & Strategies
Specific Focus: Summarizing Main Points of a Paragraph or Short Text
What You Will Learn
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Understand what a summary is and why it's useful.
- Identify the main points in a B1-level paragraph or short text.
- Distinguish between main points and minor details.
- Choose the best summary of a short text from given options.
Hello Cambodian Learners!
Imagine you read an interesting article about a new project in Battambang, and you want to tell your friend about it quickly. You wouldn't tell them every single word, would you? You'd tell them the most important parts. This is called summarizing. It's a great skill for understanding and remembering what you read, and for sharing information clearly.
What is Summarizing?
A summary is a short statement that gives the main points of a longer text. It does NOT include:
- Minor details or small examples.
- Your own opinions (unless the task asks for it).
- Direct quotes (usually, you use your own words, but for this lesson, we'll focus on identifying key information).
How to summarize:
- Read the text carefully to understand the main idea.
- Find the key supporting points that explain the main idea.
- Put these main points together in a short way.
Example: Click the paragraph to hear it.
The Importance of Water Festivals in Cambodia
Which sentence below is the BEST summary of this paragraph?
The best summary is B because it includes the main idea (what the festival is, when it is, why it's important) and key activities.
Practice Time!
Activity 1: Choose the Best Summary
Read each short paragraph. Then click the button with the sentence that best summarizes the main points of that paragraph.
Activity 2: What are the Key Points for a Summary?
Read the paragraph. Then, from the list of sentences below it, click on the sentences that you think are the MOST IMPORTANT key points to include in a summary. Choose 2 or 3 key points.
Quick Quiz!
Great Job!
Learning to summarize helps you focus on the most important information in a text. This makes it easier to understand, remember, and share what you've read!