Worksheet 1 – Writing One-sentence Summaries

Answers
Question 1: Suggested Answer
a) Title: The Campaign Against AIDS in China (6 words)
b) One-sentence Summary: In “Health Issue” (China Daily, 2008), Xiong Lei says that in
China a big campaign was run to raise people’s understanding of AIDS, and it has
brought positive changes in attitude. (31 words)

Title - Short yet telling summary of the paragraph

- Punctuation: key words capitalized; titles should not be underlined nor in
quotation marks, and there should be no full-stop at the end.
Identification - The author’s name in a correct format, i.e. the full name quoted (Xiong
Lei); using only the last name is acceptable, but using only the first name
would be incorrect
- Punctuation is appropriate: the title of the article in quotation marks,
publication information in parentheses, the title of the publication
underlined, and the publication date given
Content - Captures the main points: that a programme is being implemented for the
purpose of raising the public’s awareness of AIDS in the Mainland.
Position for this article: that there is a positive change in attitude for the
public towards AIDS.
- No redundant details
Paraphrasing - Most words are substituted with synonyms. (E.g. programme was
Skills launchedÆ campaign was being run ; to enhance the public awarenessÆ
to raise people’s understanding; from a lack of interest Æpositive change
in attitude)
- Ideas are presented clearly in a new sentence structure.
- Good diction (choice of words)
- Correct tense (present tense) for the reporting verb (‘Xiong Lei says…’)

Question 1: Poor Sample Answer

a) Title: Aids is not a significant problem in China
b) One-sentence Summary: In Health Issue (China Daily), the author said that there are
many issues about AIDS and how it can make our life more complicated.

Title - Key words not capitalized

- Fails to summarize the main idea of the paragraph
Identification - The author’s name is omitted; using the first name only would be
incorrect also (i.e. Lei says…).
- Punctuation is inappropriate: the title of the article not in quotes, the title
of the publication not underlined, and the publication date not given.
Content - No explicit main points; ambiguous terms used: “many issues about
AIDS”; “life more complicated”; author’s position not reflected
- Unclear meaning
Paraphrasing - Most words copied directly from the original
Skills - Poor choice of words
- Wrong tense (past tense) for the reporting verb (‘author said…’)

CC2040 English for Academic Studies (Health Care) – Study Guide

Question 2: Suggested Answer
a) Title: Disadvantages of Cosmetic Animal Testing (5 words)
b) One-sentence Summary: In “Beauty” (Times Weekly, 2008), Bob Smith reports that
many organisations have given up cosmetic animal testing because it makes animals
suffer, offers doubtful findings, and costs more than many new testing methods. (33
words)

Title - Short yet telling summary of the paragraph

- Punctuation: key words capitalized; titles should not be underlined nor in
quotation marks, and there should be no full-stop at the end.
Identification - The author’s name is in a correct format, i.e. the full name quoted (Bob
Smith); using only the last name is acceptable, but using the first name
only would be incorrect.
- Punctuation is appropriate: the title of the article in quotation marks,
publication information in parentheses, the title of the publication
underlined, and the publication date given.
Content - Captures the main point that animal testing is undesirable: makes animal
suffer; unreliable results; and more costly; and many companies have
stopped using it.
- No redundant details
Paraphrasing - Most words are substituted with synonyms. (E.g. companies
Skills Æorganisations; stoppedÆ given up; severe physical damageÆ suffer;
may not be reliableÆ doubtful; results Æ findings; alternatives Æ
methods)
- Ideas presented clearly in a new sentence structure
- Good diction (choice of words)
- Correct tense (present tense) for the reporting verb (‘Bob Smith reports)

Question 2: Poor Sample Answer

a) Title: Changing alternatives to testing
b) One-sentence Summary: In “Beauty”, (Times Weekly, 2008) Smith suggests that
cosmetic animal testing was not good as there were many disadvantages to humans and
to animals.

Title - Key words not capitalized

- Fails to summarize the main idea of the paragraph; and does not say
animal testing
Identification - Using the first name only is incorrect. (‘Smith suggests…’)
- Punctuation is inappropriate: wrong use of a comma after the titleÆ
should be placed after the identification (i.e., Times Weekly, 2008),
Content - Captures the main points that animal testing is undesirable, but reasons
are not presented. (‘…many disadvantages to humans…’)
- Wrong point about “disadvantages to humans”
- No relevant details/ unclear meaning
Paraphrasing - No paraphrasing techniques used
Skills - Poor choice of words
- Inconsistency in tense (mixed use of past tense and present tense)

CC2040 English for Academic Studies (Health Care) – Study Guide