Paraphrasing

Exercises related to paraphrasig

Exercise 1
Paraphrase each sentence. There may be more than one way to rewrite each one. Remember to change vocabulary, phrases and sentence structure wherever you can.

a.) Despite their massive size, elephants are known for being agile.
Paquiderms are really clever although they are huge.

b.) Because elephants consume up to 500 pounds of food a day, they are able to strip a forest bare in no time.
Elephants can eat up a whole forest in less than a day due to they consume up to 226 Kgs of groceries per day.

c.) Over the centuries, lions have been used in art to represent power and magnificence.
Through decades, the king of the jungle has represented a symbol of splendor and supremacy.

d.) George Washington Carver was a dedicated teacher, in addition, he was known as a talented artist, musician and researcher who made valuable contributions to his people and his country.
George Washington Carver was a multi-talented man who contributes in an important way to his nation and community.

e.) Archibald Mc Leish, known for his poetry, was appointed head of the Library of Congress by President Rooselvelt in 1939.
President Rooselvelt chose Archibald Mc Leish, a very famous poet, to be the leader of the Library of Congress in the late 30’s.

Exercise 2

Read each paragraph and state the main idea in your own words. If you find the main idea stated directly in the paragraph, be sure to use the paraphrasing techniches that you practice in exersice one.

a.) There is plenty of water on the earth. In fact, ther is enouhg water in this planet for everyone to have a huge lake. The trouble is that the water is not always found in the place where is needed. In addition much of the water is polluted or salty. Because of these problems, there are many people without sufficient water.

Main idea: The clean water is not where it is needed.

b.) New oil supplies need to be found to replace those that have been used up. There is a constant search for new oil fields. Oil hunters sink their wells wherever there are signs of oil. Each of these drillings costs thousands and thousands of dollars, and often there is not enough oil to make it profitable. Nevertheless, the search for new oil never ends.

Main idea: There is a constant search for new oil fields because the old ones need to be replaced.

c.) Quakers, a religious group known as the Society of Friends, have always worked for human causes. Before the Civil War in the United States, they werw against slavery and led the movement to help salve escape from the southern part of the United States and seek freedom in the northern part, today, they fight hunger and disease around the globe and still aid people fleeing tyranny and war. Their beliefs are based on the principles of pacifism and simple living.

Main idea: The religious group known as Quakers is always doing philanthropy work.

Exercise 3

100 word summary

Students deserved to take part in professors’ election, curriculum planning and scheduling. They cannot vote in the selection of the faculty members. Besides, the students do not know anything about the origin of the professors and how or why they were chosen (revision of curriculum vitae). Considering curriculum planning, the text points out that if students have to pay for their books, they should give their opinion about materials to prepare them intellectually for the future. In regards to schedules, students must be included in their organization since they are the ones that will be affected by them.