7. Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing involves changing a text so that it is quite dissimilar to the source
yet retains all the meaning. This skill is useful in several areas of academic work,
but this unit focuses on using paraphrasing in note-making and summary writing.
Effective paraphrasing is vital in academic writing to avoid the risk of plagiarism
1. Although paraphrasing techniques are used in summary writing,
paraphrasing does not aim to shorten the length of a text, merely to
restate the text.
For example,
Evidence of a lost civilisation has been found off the coast of China.
could be paraphrased:
Remains of an ancient society have been discovered in the sea near China.
2. A good paraphrase is significantly different from the wording of the
original, without altering the meaning at all.
Read the text below and then decide which is the best paraphrase, (a)
or (b).
Ancient Egypt collapsed in about 2180 BC. Studies conducted of the mud from the River Nile
showed that at this time the mountainous regions which feed the Nile suffered from a prolonged
drought. This would have had a devastating effect on the ability of Egyptian society to feed
itself.
a) The sudden ending of Egyptian civilisation over 4,000 years ago was probably caused
by changes in the weather in the region to the south. Without the regular river flooding
there would not have been enough food.
b) Research into deposits of the Egyptian Nile indicate that a long dry period in the
mountains at the river’s source may have led to a lack of water for irrigation around
2180BC, which was when the collapse of Egyptian society began.
(b) is the better paraphrase (in (a) changes in the weather and the region
to the south are not as precise as a long dry period and the mountains at
the river’s source).
3. Techniques.
a) Changing vocabulary:
studies > research
society > civilisation
mud > deposits
b) Changing word class:
Egypt (n.) > Egyptian (adj.)
mountainous regions (adj. + n.) > in the mountains (n.)
c) Changing word order:
Ancient Egypt collapsed > the collapse of Egyptian society began
а) Изменение лексики:
исследования > исследовательское
общество > цивилизационная
грязь > отложения
б) Изменение класса слов:
Египет (н.) > Египетский (прил.)
горные районы (прил. + н.) > в горах (н.)
в) Изменение порядка слов:
Древний Египет рухнул > начался крах египетского общества
4. Find synonyms for the words in italic.
a) Sleep scientists have found that traditional remedies for insomnia, such as counting
sheep, are ineffective.
Example:
Sleep researchers have found that established cures for insomnia, for instance counting sheep,
do not work. cross reference
b) Instead, they have found that imagining a pleasant scene is likely to send you to sleep
quickly. b discovered/visualising an attractive view/encourage/rapidly
c) The research team divided 50 insomnia sufferers into three groups. c scientists/split
d) One group was told to imagine a waterfall, while another group tried sheep counting.
d was asked to think of/attempted
5. Change the word class of the words in italic, and then re-write the sentences.
a) A third group was given no special instructions about going to sleep.
Example:
A third group was not specially instructed about going to sleep.
b) It was found that the group thinking of waterfalls fell asleep 20 minutes quicker.
b The findings showed that the group thinking of waterfalls fell asleep
20 minutes quicker.
c) Mechanical tasks like counting sheep are apparently too boring to make people sleepy.
c It appears that mechanical tasks like counting sheep are too boring to
make people sleepy.
6. Change the word order of the following sentences.
a) There are many practical applications to research into insomnia.
Example:
Research into insomnia has many practical applications.
b) About one in ten people are thought to suffer from severe insomnia.
b It is thought that about one in ten people suffer from severe
insomnia.
c) It is calculated that the cost of insomnia for the American economy may be $35 billion a
year.
c The cost of insomnia for the American economy has been calculated
at approximately $35 billion a year.
7. Combine all these techniques to paraphrase the paragraph as fully as possible.
Sleep scientists have found that traditional remedies for insomnia, such as counting sheep, are
ineffective. Instead, they have found that imagining a pleasant scene is likely to send you to
sleep quickly. The research team divided 50 insomnia sufferers into three groups. One group
imagined watching a waterfall, while another group tried sheep counting. A third group was
given no special instructions about going to sleep. It was found that the group thinking of
waterfalls fell asleep 20 minutes quicker. Mechanical tasks like counting sheep are apparently
too boring to make people sleepy. There are many practical applications for research into
insomnia. About one in ten people are thought to suffer from severe insomnia. It is calculated
that the cost of insomnia for the American economy may be $35 billion a year.
7 . Findings by sleep researchers suggest that established cures for insomnia, for instance counting
sheep, do not work, though visualising an attractive view may significantly encourage sleep. 50
insomniacs were split into three groups by Oxford university scientists. The first thought of water
falling, and the second attempted to count sheep. A third group was not specially instructed. The
findings show that the group thinking of waterfalls went to sleep faster. It appears that repetitive
situations are not effective, because they are too tedious. The research has multiple uses, since
10% of the population are believed to have difficulty sleeping, and the cost of insomnia for the
American economy has been calculated at around $35 billion annually.
7 .Результаты исследований сна свидетельствуют о том, что известные методы лечения
бессонницы, например, подсчет овец, не работают, хотя
визуализация привлекательного вида может значительно способствовать засыпанию. 50
страдающих бессонницей были разделены на три группы учеными Оксфордского университета
. Первый подумал о падающей воде, а второй
попытался сосчитать овец. Третья группа не была специально
проинструктирована. Полученные результаты показывают, что группа, думающая о водопадах
засыпал быстрее. Похоже, что повторяющиеся ситуации
неэффективны, потому что они слишком утомительны. Исследование имеет множество
применений, поскольку считается, что 10% населения испытывают трудности
со сном, а стоимость бессонницы для американской экономики
оценивается примерно в 35 миллиардов долларов ежегодно.
8. Use the same techniques to paraphrase the following text.
Before the last century no humans had visited Antarctica, and even today the vast continent has
a winter population of less than 200 people. However, a recent report from a New Zealand
government agency outlines the scale of the pollution problem in the ice and snow. Although
untouched compared with other regions in the world, the bitter cold of Antarctica means that
the normal process of decay is prevented. As a result some research stations are surrounded
by the rubbish of nearly 60 years’ operations.
Despite popular belief, the polar continent is really a desert, with less precipitation than the
Sahara. In the past, snowfall slowly covered the waste left behind, like beer cans or dead
ponies, but now, possibly due to global warming, the ice is thinning and these are being
exposed. Over 10 years ago the countries using Antarctica agreed a treaty on waste disposal,
under which everything is to be taken home, and this is slowly improving the situation.
However, the scientists do not want everything removed. The remains of very early expeditions
at the beginning of the twentieth century have acquired historical value and will be preserved
8 paraphrase:
Antarctica was unexplored until the 20th century, and still has a tiny population in relation to its
size. Yet it suffers from various pollution problems which have been described in a report by a
New Zealand government agency. The low temperatures there impede the usual pattern of decay,
though compared with most parts of the world it remains in pristine condition. Some longestablished scientific bases have large piles of garbage around them. Few people realise that
Antarctica has very little precipitation, so that in the current context of global warming the ice
tends to reveal the rubbish that previously was slowly being buried under snow. For more than a
decade the nations involved in Antarctic research have respected an agreement to repatriate their
garbage, and this should gradually solve the problem. But there are a few items that will not be
cleared up, since they belonged to the early period of exploration and have now acquired historic
interest.
8 Антарктида была неисследована до 20-го века, и по-прежнему имеет крошечное
население по сравнению с ее размерами. Тем не менее, он страдает от различных
проблем загрязнения, которые были описаны в отчете новозеландского
правительственного агентства. Низкие температуры там препятствуют обычному
процессу разложения, хотя по сравнению с большинством частей света он
остается в первозданном состоянии. Вокруг некоторых давно существующих научных баз
есть большие кучи мусора.
Мало кто понимает, что в Антарктиде очень мало осадков, так что
в нынешних условиях глобального потепления лед имеет тенденцию обнажать
мусор, который ранее медленно погребался под снегом. Уже
более десяти лет страны, участвующие в антарктических исследованиях
, соблюдают соглашение о репатриации своего мусора, и это должно
постепенно решить проблему. Но есть несколько предметов, которые не будут
прояснены, поскольку они относились к раннему периоду исследований и
теперь приобрели исторический интерес.