Study Notes on Summary Writing

A written summary is a brief restatement of the main idea of a passage or an article. In other words, a summaryis a short written statement containing only the most important ideas in a passage or in an article. It is also called “a précis [`preisi:], or “an abstract” (краткое изложение, резюме, реферат, краткий обзор, конспект)

When you summarize a passage or an article, you should present the important ideas of the original in your own words, as a rule, you have to avoid using any of the author’s exact words. (Of course, you can use only somewords from a source)

When you write a summary, you should be careful not to leave out important points or misrepresent an author’s intention. Summarizing is actually reducing a passage or even an entire article into several sentences.

Read the following article. Present its contents in the form of a written summary. Keep your summary to 300–350 words. Make use of VOCABULARY NOTES if necessary.

CREDIT CARDS

Credit Card identifies its owner as one who is entitled to credit when purchasing goods or services from certain establishments.

Credit cards originated in the United States in the 1930s; their use was wide-spread by the 1950s. They are issued by many businesses serving the consumer, such as oil companies, retail stores and chain stores, restaurants, hotels, airlines, car rental agencies and banks. Some credit cards are honored in a single store, but others are general-purpose cards, for use in a wide variety of establishments. Bank credit cards, now also in use in Europe, are examples of the general purpose card. Establishments dispensing almost every form of product or service are honoring such cards, and it is predicted that credit cards might some day eliminate the need for carrying cash.

When a credit card is used, the retailer records the name and account number of the purchaser and the amount of the sale, and forwards this record to the credit card billing office. At intervals, usually monthly, the billing office sends a statement to the cardholder listing all the charged purchases and requesting payment immediately or in installments. The billing office reimburses the retailer directly.

Most of the work involved in credit card operations is now handled by computers. Charges for the use of a credit card are sometimes paid directly by the cardholder, and sometimes borne bythe retail establishments that accept them. In the latter case, the cost is absorbed into the price of the merchandise. Department stores usually charge interest to credit customers who do not settle their bills within a month, but certain credit plans do not charge interest until a bill has been outstanding for several months. Interest rates for overdue balances are regulated by state law. A continuing problem involved in the use of credit cards is the ease with which they can be used fraudulently if stolen or lost, although the liability of the owner is limited.

The American Express Company invented the traveler’s check in 1891The American Express traveler’s check was a draft note purchased from a bank or directly from American Express. It could be redeemedfor goods or services in many businesses around the world.

The American Express traveler’s check was an immediate success with travelers who found that the checks were easier to redeem than letters of credit from banks, which were commonly used overseas instead of cash. In addition, travelers preferred American Express traveler’s checks because the company would reimburse them if the checks were lost or stolen. Traveler’s checks provided a substantial infusion of revenue to the company, and helped establish the American Express brand name among American travelers.

VOCABULAR NOTES

1) to be entitled to…	= to give someone the official right to do or have something
2) to issue	= if an organization or someone in an official position issues something such as documents or equipment, they give these things to people who need them
3) to honor (a credit card/ a cheque)	= if a business honors a credit card, it pays the money for that person when he buys a product or a service (to accept a credit card for payment)
4) to dispense a product/a service	= to give smth to people, to provide smth for people
5) the purchaser	= the buyer
6) credit card billing office	- отдел учета оплат/счетов по кредитным карточкам
7) a statement	= a document sent regularly by a bank to a customer that lists the amounts of money taken out of and paid into their bank account
8) charged purchases	= something that has been bought and paid for with a credit card (AmE) . e.g. I charged the purchase (the shoes/the dress etc) on Visa.
9) in installments.	= regular payments (AmE) = hire purchase (BrE)
10) to reimburse	= formal to pay money back to someone when their money has been spent or lost
11) to be handled by computers	= are done/controlled by computers
12) to bear charges	= to be responsible for the amount of money one has paid with a credit card
13) merchandise	= goods that are being sold
14)…a bill has been outstanding	= a bill that has not yet been paid
15) fraudulently	= by way of deceiving people
16) redeem	= to exchange a piece of paper representing an amount of money for that amount of money or for goods equal in cost to that amount of money

Checklist for writing a summary (based on the article Credit Cards)

1. Reread your source until you understand it.

2. Write one-sentence restatements of the main points/ideas. Write your summary using the one-sentence restatements as your guide. Focus on what the text says, not on your own ideas or opinions.

3. Revise your summary, making sure that you have adequately condensed (shortened) the original and included its most important ideas.

4. Control the length of your summary by

Ø using short linkers:e.g. use “also” rather than “in addition”

Ø finding shorter equivalents of longer expressions:e.g. instead of “most of the work involved in credit card operations are now handled by computers” use “most credit card operations are now done by computers”, instead of “Credit cards originated in the United States in the 1930s; their use was wide-spread by the 1950s” use “Credit cards have been used for nearly 70 years”, instead of “ to provide a substantial infusion of revenue to the company” use “the company makes huge profits” etc.

Ø using common words instead of very formal words or specific terms:e.g. instead of “to honor credit cards” use “to accept credit cards”, instead of “to be entitled to…” use “to have the right to…”instead of “purchaser” use “the buyer” instead of “to reimburse” use “ to pay money back” etc.

INDEPENDENT READING

Introduction

To improve and develop better professional competences

an economics faculty student learning English should be introduced to

historical and cultural background of major economic events and

phenomena. Undoubtedly, this will contribute to shaping him/her into a

broad-minded specialist.

The texts below are concerned with the history of money and

banking. When tested by the teacher on independent reading the student

should be prepared to comment on the information that is new and

interesting to him/her.

TEXT 1