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]

Comments

  1. teacher can we change the first 10 words given?

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  2. NO you can't! You HAVE TO use the 1st 10 words given and write another 50 words. make sure the no of words are not more than 60.

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  3. thanks for your instruction..it help me a lot.. :D

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  4. Teacher, please check my answer and also please give mark....Thank you

    Zoo Negara accept abandoned animals but the dumping has cause problems to the Malaysian Zoological Society. The first problem is some animals arrive there are ill and malnourished. In addition, high cost incurred to treat these animals. They also bring diseases. Moreover, limited quarantine spaces also becomes a problem too. Finally, they fear for illegal origins of endangered species.

    From Haris (calon PMR 2012 ABS)
    Temerloh Pahang

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Haris, good try!

    Zoo Negara accept abandoned animals but the dumping has cause problems to the Malaysian Zoological Society. The first problem is some animals arrive there are ill and malnourished (C1). In addition, high cost incurred to treat these animals (C2). They also bring diseases (and infect other animals). Moreover, limited quarantine spaces also becomes a problem too (meaning has changed from the original text). Finally, they fear for illegal origins of endangered species (C3).

    Content points – 3 marks
    Language – 3 marks
    Total marks - 6

    My advice: Copy the points EXACTLY from the text to avoid making sentence errors and changing the meaning of the original text.

    All the best!

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  6. Teacher,is it compulsary to use all the notes given?can I take about 4 or 5 points?thank you:) (Dira,PMR 2012)

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  7. Hi Dira,
    For summary writing, students should be able to write 5 main points in order to get the Content Points marks - 5.

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  8. Hi,May i know if My summary only 50 words will i give - marks ?

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  9. Thanks for your information teacher:)...(dira)

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  10. Hi anonymous 7:18 PM, I'm sorry, could you post your question again? Do you want to know what marks that you are going to get for writing 50 words?

    Okay dira, you're welcome :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi, I just want to ask you something... Do you know any other blogs like your's but in Malay? (Especially the ones on helping secondary students who are weak in Paper 2)

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  12. Dear Anonymous,

    I'm so sorry I don't know. Are you referring to Paper 2 for English or BM? If it's for English then I believe the contents of the blog will be in English.

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  13. Sorry, I meant Paper 2 for BM. Do you know any?

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  14. Teacher,I got straight A's in my PMR..thankz for you recent help:)(Dira,PMR 2012)

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  15. thx teacher for your summary lesson.it really help me cause next week i got an exams

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  16. do we have to indent when writing a summary? my teacher taught me not to

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  17. teacher
    i did wrongly mentioned how many words i wrote for this section , i wrote (5 words) only
    did i will lost marks or 0 mark??

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  18. why must omit the 10 words?

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  19. thx teacher i am form 2 my final exam is next week..thank you for the help

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  20. Do you have this for form 1? ~ros nadia~

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  21. good luck for all!!!

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  22. thanks teacher for the example :D

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  23. You're welcome. Please use this technique IF you have really, really low proficiency in English. Otherwise, this technique is not recommended.

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  24. Why don't you put a best summary?

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  25. But at least you can help us.Thank You,Teacher!!!

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  26. THANK YOU TEACHER . IT HELPED ME A LOT

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  27. Teacher by using this method can we get good marks ? I know this is a silly thing to ask. But,........{ashok}

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