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Paragraph Summary

Types of Questions:1. Factual Paragraphs

These questions are one of the most common types, and are based on paragraphs that are factual in nature i.e. based on facts. It is very important to make sure the answer has all the relevant facts from the paragraph. The best way to tackle such questions is to identify the keywords and build the central idea or summary around these keywords.Example:Local communities have often come in conflict with agents trying to exploit resources, at a faster pace, for an expanding commercial – industrial economy. More often than not, such agents of resource – intensification are given

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preferential treatment by the state, through the grant of generous long leases over mineral or fish stocks, for example, or the provision of raw material at an enormously subsidized price. With the injustice so compounded, local communities at the receiving end of this process have no resource except direct action, resisting both the state and outside exploiters trough a variety of protest techniques. These struggles might perhaps be seen as a manifestation of a new kind of class conflict.

Which option best summarizes the above paragraph?

1. A new kind of class conflict arises from preferential treatment given to agents of resource – intensification by the state which the local community sees as unfair.

2. The grant of long leases to agents of resource – intensification for an expanding commercial – industrial economy leads to direct protests from the local community, which sees it as unfair.

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3. Preferential treatment given by the state to agents of resource – intensification for an expanding commercial – industrial economy exacerbates injustice to local communities and leads to direct protest from them, resulting in a new type of class conflict.

4. Local communities have no option but to protest against agents of resource – intensification and create a new type of class conflict when they are given raw material at subsidized prices for an expanding commercial – industrial economy.

Explanation:Option 1 does not highlight that this kind of

conflict is a direct action.Option 2 again fails to mention that it is a new

kind of class conflict.Option 4 goes in a bit of detail about

subsidization.

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Option 3 highlights all the major points (preferential treatment, exacerbation of injustice, direct protest from the local communities, and results in a new kind of class conflict) and therefore is a more suitable option than the rest.

Hence, the correct answer is option 3.2. Abstract paragraphs

These paragraphs are based on a varied number of topics that are not grounded in any scientific law or fact. You are required to understand and interpret the flow of thought of the paragraph into logical sub – units. These paragraphs deal with complex ideas and theories and require a thorough reading and understanding of the concepts being dealt with.

Example: Romanticism, also known as the “Age of

Reflection”, describes the intellectual movement from 1800 – 1840 that originated in Western Europe as a counter – movement to the Enlightenment of the late 18th century.

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Romanticism incorporated many fields of study, including art, music, poetry and drama, painting, prose, theology, and philosophy, yet it also had a major impact in sciences of the 19th century. European scientists, disillusioned with the mechanical natural philosophy of the Enlightenment as well as the Newtonian model of physics, supported the belief that observing nature meant understanding that the answers that nature could give us should not be obtained by force. They warned that Enlightenment encouraged the abuse of sciences and sought to advance a new way of increasing scientific knowledge, one they felt would be even more beneficial to not only mankind but to nature as well. Romanticism set forth different themes: it was anti – reductionist (the whole was more valuable than the parts alone) championed epistemological optimism (man was connected to nature), and encouraged creativity.

It also emphasized the scientist’s role in scientific discovery as understanding that acquiring knowledge of nature meant understanding man as well; therefore, these scientists had a profound respect for nature.

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The decline of Romanticism occurred because a new movement, Positivism, began to take hold of the ideals of the intellectuals around 1840 that lasted until about 1880.

Which option nest summarizes the above paragraph?

1. Romanticism was a movement that affected art, music, poetry and science. Unhappy with the Newtonian model of physics, scientists needed a change. Romanticism was their way out.

2. Anti – reductionist and epistemological optimism were some of the themes championed by Romanticism. The movement originated in Western Europe to encounter the Enlightenment, which had disillusioned many of the scientists of the time. It was eventually replaced by Positivism.

3. Romanticism believed that the answers that nature could give us should not be obtained by force and supported the belief that observing nature meant understanding the self. The scientists of the time were more affected by Romanticism and had a profound respect for nature.

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4. Romanticism had a major impact on the sciences, as European scientists disillusioned by the popular philosophies of the time believed that observing nature meant understanding the self. They sought to increase scientific knowledge by following romantic themes of anti – reductionist and epistemological optimism. By 1840 Romanticism was replaced by a new movement called Positivism.

5. Positivism replaced Romanticism in 1840, which up till then was an influential movement in Western Europe. It specifically has an effect on science and emphasized the role of the scientist in scientific discovery as understanding that acquiring knowledge of nature meant understanding man as well.

Explanation:Options 2 and 5 are eliminated because the

focus of the paragraph is on Romanticism and not Positivism.

Options 1 and 3 are eliminated because they do not summarize the entire paragraph but rather parts of the paragraph. They do not mention Positivism.

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Option 4 aptly summarizes the effect of Romanticism in the 1800s.

Hence, the correct answer is option 4.3. Logical summaries While dealing with these types of

paragraphs the premise, assumptions and appropriate conclusions need to be identified. As is the case with all summaries, an understanding of the central idea of the paragraph is essential to identify the implicit as well as explicit assumptions stated in the paragraph.

Example: Physically, inertia is a feeling that you just

can’t move; mentally, it is a sluggish mind. Even if you try to be sensitive, it your mind is sluggish, you just don’t feel anything intensely. You may even see a tragedy enacted in front of your eyes and not be able to respond meaningfully. You may see one person exploiting another, one group persecuting another, and not be able to get angry. Your energy is frozen. You are not deliberately refusing to act; you just don’t have the capacity.

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A. Inertia makes your body and mind sluggish. They become insensitive to tragedies, exploitation and persecution because it freezes your energy and de – capacitates it.

B. When you have inertia you don’t act although you see one person exploiting another or one group persecuting another. You don’t get angry because you are incapable.

C. Inertia is of two types – physical and mental. Physical inertia restricts bodily movements. Mental inertia prevents mental response to events enacted in front of your eyes.

D. Physical inertia stops your body from moving; mental inertia freezes your energy, and stops your mind from responding meaningfully to events, even tragedies, in front of you.

(1) A (2) B (3) C (4) D

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Explanation:In statements A and B, equal weightage has

been given to physical and mental inertia, whereas the author has not done so. The author has emphasized mental; inertia in the passage.

Statement C is too generic.Statement D is more complete. D enlists the

part of not reacting to tragedies as well. Thus, it more completely captures the gist of the passage.

Hence, the correct answer is option 4

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