概要写作是把长篇作品浓缩成简短的梗概,从而形成一篇独立的短文。概要写作要求语言简明扼要，用词精确，忠实原文的中心思想，对原文内容不加任何解释和评论。概要写作有利于提高学生的阅读理解能力和写作能力，能训练学生清楚、准确地表达自己的思想，帮助学生纠正写作中思维混乱、表达不清的毛病。

　　一、概要写作的语言特点

　　1. 概要写作是用自己的语言对长篇作品的概括。 它不是原文词语的简单拼凑和重新编排,也不是对原文的解释说明，而是在原文基础之上的再创造。

　　2. 概要写作的长度一般可控制在原文的三分之一或四分之一;对于特别长的作品,如短篇故事或长篇小说,概要可以控制在原文的百分之一或千分之一。

　　3. 概要写作是压缩文字的练习，所采用的语言是概括性的语言。因此，概要写作要：

　　1)删除细节。概要写作只抓中心，删去一切围绕中心的细节；

　　2)简化描述。概要中尽量少用描述性的短语或句子；

　　3)用概括性的词语来代替具体的词语；

　　4)过渡语句尽可能简洁；

　　5)用间接引语的形式来表达对话中的要点；

　　6)遵循原文的顺序可以使概要条理清楚。

　　二、 概要写作的程序

　　1. 概要写作的前提是必须对原文内容充分理解和掌握。 因此，第一步是反复通读原文，直到理解原文并抓住中心思想。

　　2. 标出原文中概括性的语言和体现原文中心思想的词或短语。

　　3. 根据所作的标识列出原文提纲。

　　4. 改写原文提纲并扩展成为概要。

　　三、 概要写作实例

　　写出下列段落的概要(词数不超过70个)

　　Smoking cigarettes can be an expensive habit. Considering that the average price per pack of cigarettes is about one dollar, people who smoke two packs of cigarettes a day spend $2 per day on their habit. At the end of one year these smokers incur a debt. Since cigarette smoking has an offensive odor that permeates clothing stuffed furniture and carpets, smokers often find that they must have these items cleaned more frequently than nonsmokers do. Although it is difficult to estimate the cost of this additional expense, one can see that this hidden expense does contribute to making cigarette smoking an expensive habit.

　　概要1.

　　It is an expensive habit of smoking. First, the cigarettes are expensive themselves.

　　Second, there is also additional expense because of smoking. (22 words)

　　概要2.

　　It is an expensive habit of smoking. First, the cigarettes are expensive themselves.

　　Second, there is also additional expense because of smoking. They really shouldn't smoke any more. (28 words)

　　概要3.

　　It is an expensive habit of smoking. First, the cigarettes are expensive themselves. People who smoke two packs of cigarettes a day spend $2 per day on their habit. Second, there is also additional expense because of smoking.(38 words)

　　概要4.

　　Smoking cigarettes can be an expensive habit. At the end of one year these smokers incur a debt. They must have their furniture and carpets cleaned frequently. One can see that this hidden expense does contribute to making cigarette smoking an expensive habit. (43 words)

　　点评：以上四个概要中概要1是最好的。因为，其长度符合要求，用自己的语言概括了文章的中心思想。概要2加入了自己的主观评论。概要3加入了文中的细节。概要4 不是用自己的语言写成的，而是原文中句子的拼凑。

　　概要完成以后，可以通过回答下列问题来检验自己的概要是否正确：

　　1. Have I kept details out of the summary?

　　2. Have I kept personal ideas out of the summary?

　　3. Have I included all the main ideas?

　　(文/王芳 王岩; 英语通大学英语四级考试版2004年第8期;版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)