Paraphrasing

A paraphrase conveys the essential thought expressed in a source text, if necessary, at the expense of literality. Paraphrase may attempt to preserve the essential meaning of the material being paraphrased. Thus, the (intentional or otherwise) reinterpretation of a source to infer a meaning that is not explicitly evident in the source itself qualifies as "original research," and not as paraphrase. A paraphrase typically explains or clarifies the text that is being paraphrased. For example, "The signal was red" might be paraphrased as "The train was not allowed to pass because the signal was red".

            Paraphrasing involves taking a set of facts or opinions and rewording them. When paraphrasing, it is important to keep the original meaning and to present it in a new form. Basically, you are simply writing something in your own words that expresses the original idea.

Here are some sentences that have been paraphrased: 

• Original: Mary life spanned years of incredible change for women.
• Paraphrase: Mary lived through an era of liberating reform for women. 

• Original: Giraffes like Acacia leaves and hay and they can consume 75 pounds of food a day.
• Paraphrase: A giraffe can eat up to 75 pounds of Acacia leaves and hay everyday. 

• Original: Any trip to Italy should include a visit to Tuscany to sample their exquisite wines.
• Paraphrase: Be sure to include a Tuscan wine-tasting experience when visiting Italy.  

EXERCISE-1: Paraphrase the following sentences.

1. The student requested that the professor excuses her absence, but the professor refused.
2. There will be a music concert next to Vienna coffee shop. Would you like to go? 
3. International Center is hosting English Conversation classes. They help non-native speakers of English practice their English speaking skills.
4. The office of International Students and Scholars at Purdue University is located in Schleman Hall.
5. The car that was pulled over by the police officer yesterday just had an accident. That driver is not careful.

6.      New York is referred to as “the city that never sleeps.” At nights, people can be assured

that something is going on no matter what the time.

Answers:

1. The professor denied the student’s request for an excused absence.

2. Are you coming to a music concert in Vienna?

3. English non native speakers can improve their English by taking classes at International Center.

4. Schleman Hall hosts the ISS office.

5. The driver who was pulled over yesterday is not careful because he just had an accident.

6. In New York, there is something to do at all hours of the night.

Exercise 2: Paraphrase the following small Paragraphs

1. "The Antarctic is the vast source of cold on our planet, just as the sun is the source of our heat, and it exerts tremendous control on our climate," [Jacques] Cousteau told the camera. "The cold ocean water around Antarctica flows north to mix with warmer water from the tropics, and its upwellings help to cool both the surface water and our atmosphere. Yet the fragility of this regulating system is now threatened by human activity." From "Captain Cousteau," Audubon (May 1990):17.

2. "The twenties were the years when drinking was against the law, and the law was a bad joke because everyone knew of a local bar where liquor could be had. They were the years when organized crime ruled the cities, and the police seemed powerless to do anything against it. Classical music was forgotten while jazz spread throughout the land, and men like Bix Beiderbecke, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie became the heroes of the young. The flapper was born in the twenties, and with her bobbed hair and short skirts, she symbolized, perhaps more than anyone or anything else, America's break with the past." From Kathleen Yancey, English 102 Supplemental Guide (1989): 25.

3. "Of the more than 1000 bicycling deaths each year, three-fourths are caused by head injuries. Half of those killed are school-age children. One study concluded that wearing a bike helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by 85 percent. In an accident, a bike helmet absorbs the shock and cushions the head." From "Bike Helmets: Unused Lifesavers," Consumer Reports (May 1990): 348.

4. "Matisse is the best painter ever at putting the viewer at the scene. He's the most realistic of all modern artists, if you admit the feel of the breeze as necessary to a landscape and the smell of oranges as essential to a still life. "The Casbah Gate" depicts the well-known gateway Bab el Aassa, which pierces the southern wall of the city near the sultan's palace. With scrubby coats of ivory, aqua, blue, and rose delicately fenced by the liveliest gray outline in art history, Matisse gets the essence of a Tangier afternoon, including the subtle presence of the bowaab, the sentry who sits and surveys those who pass through the gate." From Peter Plagens, "Bright Lights." Newsweek (26 March 1990): 50.

5. "While the Sears Tower is arguably the greatest achievement in skyscraper engineering so far, it's unlikely that architects and engineers have abandoned the quest for the world's tallest building. The question is: Just how high can a building go? Structural engineer William LeMessurier has designed a skyscraper nearly one-half mile high, twice as tall as the Sears Tower. And architect Robert Sobel claims that existing technology could produce a 500-story building." From Ron Bachman, "Reaching for the Sky." Dial (May 1990): 15.

6. Mr. Leibovitz and writer Matthew Miller joined forces to tell the story of the students in their book, “Fortunate Sons.” The book says China sent one hundred twenty boys to America to learn about developments that could help modernize their country.” (American Documents the Country’s First Exchange Students from China, Voice of America, learningenglish.voanews.com) 

7. “Illiteracy is a problem in many of the world’s poorest countries.  Even in wealthier nations like the United States, many children struggle with reading and writing.  But in 19 cities across the country [United States], the volunteers of Experience Corps are helping youngsters learn to read.  The volunteers, all over 50, work with students in low-income areas.” (Older Volunteers Help Children Learn to Read, Voice of America, voanews.com)

8.“Women entrepreneurs in the developing world often face challenges that limit their chances for success and growth. They often have less access to education than men and have difficulty getting financing on their own. But with an understanding of the essential aspects of doing business – such as planning, financing, networking and marketing – they can overcome those obstacles. That's where the 10,000 Women Initiative comes in. As Faiza Elmasry tells us, it's an investment in education with dividends that benefit the businesswomen, their local communities and their national economies.” (Goldman Sachs invests in Educating Women in Business, Voice of America, voanews.com)

9. “No historian should begin research with someone else’s notes. Taking notes is the first (and perhaps most important step) in developing our own interpretation of a subject. It forces us to decide (again and again) what is interesting and important” (Reuben, 2005, p. 413).

10. “According to our survey, 30 percent of students agreed that the university should offer a money-back guarantee if students fail to get the job they really want in their field because many students are finding themselves unemployed when they graduate” (Abrams 45).