Summary Writing Tips (PMR) - For Weak Students

The tips

Students, for Paper 2 - Summary (Section B), if you have difficulties to understand what the passage and the question are all about, you are encouraged to use the following tips:

1. Copy the first 2 sentences of each paragraph starting from the second  paragraph (because the 10 introduction words are taken from the first paragraph).
2. Copy the sentences in full.
3. Copy the sentences without any spelling errors.
4. Copy only 60 words.
5. If the 60th word is not the last word, ask the students to complete the sentence.
6. Omit the 10 introductory words.
7. Use linkers in order to get 3 marks for language.

Sample question [PMR 2006]

     More and more animals are surrendered to Zoo Negara. Sometimes, the animals are abandoned at the gates.

      Zoo Negara accepts the animals for humane reasons but the dumping of these animals poses management problems for the Malaysian Zoological Society. The dumping of animals here has grown tremendously. Most of these animals are those commonly kept as pets.

    Some animals arrive at the zoo ill and malnourished. Feeding and handling them incur costs. They might even bring diseases and infect other animals. The animals are quarantined for three months before they can go into enclosures or cages, where they are treated for any diseases. As such, they take up the limited quarantine space the zoo has.

     Zoo Negara is unable to keep all the animals dropped at its doorstep. Thus, they are given away to other zoos. Primates, such as monkeys, are released into the forests as they attack each other in shared enclosures.

   The zoo does not accept species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) for fear of illegal origins. However, as some of these animals are just left at the zoo, the management has no choice but to take them in.

(Adapted from The Star, 2005)

Write a summary on why Zoo Negara has problems with the animals left at the gates.

Your summary must:

• not be more than 60 words, including the 10 words given below
• be in continuous writing (not note form)
• be written in one paragraph

Use your own words as far as possible without changing its original meaning.

Begin your summary as follows:

          Zoo Negara accepts the abandoned animals but the dumping has ...

The following shows how the above tips are used

Step 1: Copy the first 2 sentences of each paragraph starting from the second  paragraph (because the 10 introduction words are taken from the first paragraph).

     More and more animals are surrendered to Zoo Negara. Sometimes, the animals are abandoned at the gates.(ignore the 1st paragraph)

      Zoo Negara accepts the animals for humane reasons but the dumping of these animals poses management problems for the Malaysian Zoological Society. The dumping of animals here has grown tremendously. Most of these animals are those commonly kept as pets.

    Some animals arrive at the zoo ill and malnourished. Feeding and handling them incur costs. They might even bring diseases and infect other animals. The animals are quarantined for three months before they can go into enclosures or cages, where they are treated for any diseases. As such, they take up the limited quarantine space the zoo has.

     Zoo Negara is unable to keep all the animals dropped at its doorstep. Thus, they are given away to other zoos. Primates, such as monkeys, are released into the forests as they attack each other in shared enclosures.

   The zoo does not accept species listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) for fear of illegal origins. However, as some of these animals are just left at the zoo, the management has no choice but to take them in.

Step 2 - 6: Copy the sentences in full without any spelling errors. Copy only 60 words. If the 60th word is not the last word, complete the sentence. Omit the 10 introductory words.

          Zoo Negara accepts the animals for humane reasons but the dumping of these animals poses management problems for the Malaysian Zoological Society. The dumping of animals here has grown tremendously. Some animals arrive at the zoo ill and malnourished. Feeding and handling them incur costs. Zoo Negara is unable to keep all the animals dropped at its doorstep. Thus, they are given away to other zoos. 

Step 7: Use linkers in order to get 3 marks for language.

          Firstly, Zoo Negara accepts the animals for humane reasons but the dumping of these animals poses management problems for the Malaysian Zoological Society. Secondly, the dumping of animals here has grown tremendously. Then, some animals arrive at the zoo ill and malnourished. Next, feeding and handling them incur costs. Moreover, Zoo Negara is unable to keep all the animals dropped at its doorstep. Thus, they are given away to other zoos. 

(67 words)

Content = 3 marks

Language = 3 marks

Total = 6 marks

REMEMBER! The above tips are only meant for struggling or weak students.

All the best for the coming PMR :)

[Credits to : The Education Department of Sepang District]