how to retell
a text
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Look through the text. What
is its main topic? What field is it in? What is its main idea?
Start with...
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"It’s an abstract from the
(research) work of a famous/well-known/major/ scientist(historian, linguist,
economist, theorist, analyst, practitioner, etc.)
- The article I’ve just read deals with the
problems of ...
- The article might be regarded a part of a
bigger research which deals in...
- The main topic of this article is...
- This chapter is devoted to...
- The main questions touched upon by this
chapter/article/work are numerous. They
are...
- This original paper/article/work addresses
itself to some of the central issues in (the relevance theoretic
research, modern economic theory of... etc)
- The aim of the article is to investigate/explore/show/help
understand/ some of the issues of ...
- This chapter/article provides an outline of the
theoretical basis of...
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Now read the text more
carefully. What parts can you divide it into? How many parts are there?
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Work on each part of the
text (the parts the text falls into may show as paragraphs). What is the main
idea of each part? Try to find the key statements in each part and put them
down. They may be 1-2 sentences from each paragraph/part of the text.
Use...
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- Several paragraphs of the article investigate
...(the distinction, the features, characteristics of..)
- In (the) other part(s) of the article/chapter
the author explores.. ( the role of the theoretic
notion of...)
- Some of the central issues dealt with in this
part are.....
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- The
author
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shows...
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combines ideas of...
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assumes that...
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further develops the idea
that...
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examines the data received
from.../the matter/major theoretic perspectives of ...
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explores the methodological
issues of...
pays tribute to....
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- By concentrating on....., the authors analyze
how.....
- This exploration provides a description of
......, and also reveals the nature and significance of.....
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Now add some details to the
sceleton. They can be from the text - some interesting facts that illustrate
the theory or what not . Think of some opinions of your own: what do you
think of this or that idea of the author? Is this matter interesting for you?
Does it go with your own research? Do you agree with the hypotheses
presented? Let your statements be noticeable and attracting attention so as
to wake those who are listening...
Use:
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Let’s see how the author
proves (that).....
I would like to point out that...
I would like to attract your attention to the following...
To my opinion this supposition/idea/ is...
We should bear in mind that...
I would rather prefer to consider .... /take it like this:....
As for me I don’t think that...
I’m afraid but ...
I do not quite agree that...
I cannot but praise ...(the work of this author .. etc.)
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Now you seem ready. Start to
speak and...good luck!
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---------------------------
Here is an example of
annotation:
By the analysis of different
theories, following a similar outline for each of them, this book permits a
critical reflection on these questions. It also aims at making the current
research in which these theories are present more accessible for the reader.
Moreover, this research, by considering issues on (the dynamics of the
processing of information, its contextualisation, and the fundamental cognitive
abilities of the speaker,) is also in line with broader issues concerning, for
instance, different domains of (computer science or also cognitive) sciences.
The different theories dealt with are (First Order Predicate Logic, Intensional
Semantics, Boolean Semantics, General Semantics (Vanderveken), Dynamic
Semantics, Situation Theory and Cognitive Grammar).
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