What elements should a well-constructed summary include?

• A. Omitting the main idea and focusing on details
• B. Quoting several sentences verbatim
• C. Main idea, key supporting details, and the article's purpose or stance, in your own words
• D. A personal interpretation of the article’s bias

Answer: (C)

Summarizing means capturing the central point of the piece—the main idea—along with the essential supporting details and the article’s purpose or stance, all put into your own words. A well-constructed summary restates the main idea, notes the key evidence or examples that back it up, and identifies why the piece was written or what position it takes, so someone reading the summary understands what the article is about and why it matters. Expressing these ideas in your own words shows you understood the material and avoids simply copying sentences. Omitting the main idea would miss the point, while quoting verbatim turns a summary into a collection of lines rather than a concise restatement, and adding a personal interpretation of bias shifts from summarizing to analysis. So the best choice is the one that includes the main idea, key supporting details, and the article’s purpose or stance, in your own words.