DELHI PUBLIC SCHOOL-BOPAL, AHMEDABAD

CLASS XI (2020-21)

ENGLISH NOTES

Note Making and Summarizing

Note Making

Notes are short written record of facts to aid the memory. Notes are usually taken to record a
speech or dictation while listening to it or after reading a book, magazine or article. They are
referred back whenever needed and may be used in the desired way.

The necessity of note making

Knowledge is vast and unlimited, but our memory is limited. We cannot remember all the
information all the time. Hence note-making is necessary. With the help of notes we can
recall the entire information read/heard months ago. Note-making is quite useful to students
preparing so many subjects. At the time of examinations, it is not possible to go through
voluminous books. At such critical times, notes are quite handy.

Hence note-making fulfils three useful functions:

1. It keeps a lot of information at our disposal for ready reference.

2. It helps us reconstruct what was said or written and thus accelerates the process of
remembering/recall. .
3. It comes in handy in delivering a speech, participation in a debate/discussion, writing
an essay and revising lessons before an examination.

How note making helps us

While making notes we do not simply read the passage/listen to speech but consider various
points made by the writer/speaker and draw our own inferences about what is being
presented. Thus note-making helps us in understanding the passage in a better way and
organising our thoughts systematically.

Characteristics of good notes:

1. Short and Compact: Good notes must be short and compact.

2. Complete Information: They must contain all the important information.
3. Logical: They must be presented in a logical way.
4. Understandable: They should be understandable when consulted at a later stage.

While making notes we follow certain standard practices. These may be listed as
follows:

(a) Heading and Sub-headings

(b) Abbreviations

(c) Note-form

(d) Numbering and Indentation

(a) Heading and sub-headings

The heading reflects the main theme whereas the sub-headings point out how it has been
developed. The selection of proper heading and sub-heading reveals the grasp of the passage
by the students. In the absence of proper assimilation of main ideas and subsidiary points it is
impossible to make notes.

(b)Abbreviations

They are used for precision and economy of words and hence quite helpful in note-making.
At least four recognisable abbreviations are to be used in note-making in your board
examination.

These are essential components of note-making. Students often make use of abbreviations
and symbols in doing their written work.
*Note. Confusing abbreviations should be avoided, e.g., the abbreviation ‘under’ may stand
for understand, understood and understanding. Similarly ‘indst’ may stand for industry,
industrial, industrious.

(c )Note-Form

While making notes the whole information is listed in note-form in points only. Notes should
not be written in complete sentences as we can’t remember the whole information. So only
the main points are listed one under the other and numbered.

It implies the logical division and sub-division of the listed information by using figures,
letters, dashes and spaces.

All examples and figurative speeches are eliminated.

(d) Numbering and indenting

Indentation

Indentation means leaving space at the beginning of a line of print or writing.

First write the title and then write down the notes in a logical order. From the main headings
to the sub-headings, the numbering should be spaced a little to the right.

_________________________________________

How to write note making

Follow the following steps:

Step 1 : (i)Read the passage carefully.

(ii)Try to get the theme and subject of the passage. You may ask yourself: “What is this
passage about?” This
will provide you the gist.

Step 2 : Read carefully. Identify main ideas and important supporting details.

Step 3 : Make notes of the main ideas under headings and add sub-points under sub-
headings.

Step 4 : Use proper layout

Step 5 : Use recognisable abbreviations wherever possible

♦ Tips to Prepare Notes:

 Prepare notes using phrases only, never use complete sentences

 The topic sentence of each paragraph is the main point and ideas affiliated to it are
Sub-points-one or more, depending on the concepts in the paragraph.
 Each sub-point may or may not have supplementary ideas which become sub-sub
points. Provide an appropriate title for the notes.
 Proper Numbering and indenting is very important.
 Include a minimum of 4-6 distinctly different recognizable abbreviations.
 Underline the abbreviations used and put the abbreviation keys in a box
 Cover all the important points in the notes meaningfully to prepare the summary in
about 80 words.
 Write the summary or abstract in complete sentences in a paragraph.

♦ How to Summarise a Given Passage

 Read the passage very carefully and critically. You should get the main idea of the
passage.
 Write the main idea of each paragraph in one well-developed sentence. Make sure that
what you include in your sentence are key points and not minor details.
 Write in the present tense (preferably in active voice).
 Be Concise-Summary should be within the word limit (about 80 words) and should be
coherent without any errors in logic.
 Don’t put your opinions, ideas or interpretations into the summary.
 Reread your summary and make sure that you have accurately represented the key
points.
 Revise your summary for style, grammar and punctuation.

Distribution of Marks

Notes-
Title: 1 mark
Abbreviations (minimum-5): 1 mark
Content (3/4 headings and sub-headings, with proper indentation and notes):2marks
Summary-
The summary should include all the important points given in the passage.
Content: 2marks
Expression: 2marks

Sample

Read the following passages carefully:

1. Conversation is indeed the most easily teachable of all arts. All you need to do in order to
become a good conversationalist is to find a subject that interests you and your listeners.
There are, for example, numberless hobbies to talk about. But the importantthing is that you
must talk about other fellow’s hobby rather than your own. Therein lies the secret of your
popularity. Talk to your friends about the things that interest them, and you will get a
reputation for good fellowship, charming wit, and a brilliant mind. There is nothing that
pleases people so much as your interest in their interest.

2. It is just as important to know what subjects to avoid and what subjects to select for good
conversation. If you don’t want to be set down as a wet blanket or a bore, be careful to avoid
certain unpleasant subjects. Avoid talking about yourself, unless you are asked to do so.
People are interested in their own problems not in yours. Sickness or death bores everybody.
The only one who willingly listens to such talk is the doctor, but he gets paid for it.

3. To be a good conversationalist you must know not only what to say, but how also to say it.
Be mentally quick and witty. But don’t hurt others with your wit. Finally try to avoid
mannerism in your conversation. Don’t bite your lips or click your tongue, or roll your eyes
or use your hands excessively as you speak.

4. Don’t be like that Frenchman who said, “How can I talk if you hold my hand?”

a) Make notes on the contents of above paragraph in any format, using abbreviations.
Supply a suitable title also. (4 marks)
b) Make a summary of the passage. (4 marks)

Answer:

Title: The Art of Conversation

Notes:

1.Conv’n—most easily tch’ble art

1.1Reqd. interest’g subject – hobbies

 1.2Talk about other fellow’s int./hobby

1.3 Win’greptn. as good conversationalist

1.3.1 goodf’ship

1.3.2 charm’g wit

1.3.3 brl. mind

2. Fit subs, for conversationalist

2.1 subs, to avoid/select

2.2 Avoid unpl’nt subs.

2.2.1 sickness

2.2.2 death

2.3 Avoid talk’g about self

3. Qualities of a good conversationalist

3.1 What to say & how to say it

3.2 ment’y quick & witty

3.3 pleasant&unhurt’g

3.4 avoid mannerisms.

Abbreviations

1.Conv’n-conversation

2.tch’ble-teachable

3.unpl’nt-unpleasant

4.talk’g-talking

5.ment’y-mentally

Summary

2.2 Conversation is the easiest and the most effective tool than other arts. To have such
attractive quality, you need to pick a subject that interests your listeners more than you. Talk
to your friends on topics that can indulge your friends in the conversation for a longer period
of time. Being a good conversationalist, you have to be quick and witty. You should have a
pleasant and un-hurting quality. Mannerism should be avoided.
Practice Question: (with prompt)

1 A good business letter is one that gets results. The best way to get results is to develop a
letter that, in its appearance, style and content, conveys information efficiently. To perform
this function, a business letter should be concise, clear and courteous.

2 The business letter must be concise: don’t waste words. Little introduction or preliminary
chat is necessary. Get to the point, make the point, and leave it. It is safe to assume that your
letter is being read by a very busy person with all kinds of papers to deal with. Re-read and
revise your message until the words and sentences you have used are precise. This takes
time, but is a necessary part of a good business letter. A short business letter that makes its
point quickly has much more impact on a reader than a long-winded, rambling exercise in
creative writing. This does not mean that there is no place for style and even, on occasion,
humour in the business letter. While it conveys a message in its contents, the letter also
provides the reader with an impression of you, its author: the medium is part of the message.

3 The business letter must be clear. You should have a very firm idea of what you want to
say, and you should let the reader know it. Use the structure of the letter—the paragraphs,
topic sentences, introduction and conclusion—to guide the reader point by point from your
thesis, through your reasoning, to your conclusion. Paragraph often, to break up the page and
to lend an air of organisation to the letter. Use an accepted business-letter format. Re-read
what you have written from the point of view of someone who is seeing it for the first time,
and be sure that all explanations are adequate, all information provided (including reference
numbers, dates, and other identification). A clear message, clearly delivered, is the essence
of business communication.

4 The business letter must be courteous. Sarcasm and insults are ineffective and can often
work against you. If you are sure you are right, point that out as politely as possible, explain
why you are right, and outline what the reader is expected to do about it. Another form of
courtesy is taking care in your writing and typing of the business letter. Grammatical and
spelling errors (even if you call them typing errors) tell a reader that you don’t think enough
of him or can lower the reader’s opinion of your personality faster than anything you say, no
matter how idiotic. There are excuses for ignorance; there are no excuses for sloppiness.

5 The business letter is your custom-made representative. It speaks for you and is a
permanent record of your message. It can pay big dividends on the time you invest in giving
it a concise message, a clear structure, and a courteous tone.

a) Make notes on the passage using recognisable abbreviations (minimum 4) in any

suitable format. Give a title to the passage. 4
b) Make a summary of the passage. 4
Answer:

Title: ___________________

1. Features of a gd. bus’ns letter

1.1 conveys info efficiently to get results

1.2 is ……………….

1.3 …………………

1.4 is ………………

2. To write a gd. bus'ns. letter

2.1 Intro shd………..

2.1.1 pt in precise words

2.1.2 ………………………

2.2 Achieving clarity

2.2.1 clear idea

2.2.2 structr the letter—intro &conclsn.

2.3……………………………

3.Being courteous

3.1 Expln. pt. politely

3.2 carefulwrtg&typg.

3.3 ……………………..

3.4………………………

4. Importance of busns. letr

4.1 a representative

4.2 ………………………..

4.3…………………………

Abbreviations:

1.bus’ns-business
Summary

A good business letter is that lends you positive and quality results. To get such results, a
business letter should be effective in appearance, style and content. Apart from this a letter
should be concise, clear and courteous. The business letter should be to the point as the
message can be clear to the reader with an
impression……………………………………………………………………………………
……………The structure of letter should have
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………avoid sarcasm andinsults………………………...
……………………………………….grammar and spelling errors need to be avoided.

Practice Question:

Good decoration reflects the personality of the people who live in the home. It should, first
of all, be distinctive, just as each person is distinctive. A home should have unity

not only within each room but also throughout the house. Rooms should, to some degree,
harmonize with each other. The colour and styling of each room, particularly, should fit into
the colour and styling of the rooms which run out of it.

Attractive home furnishings set the stage for pleasant living. If they are an expression of
yourself, you will have a feeling of satisfaction every time you enter your home, and friends
will share your enjoyment.

However, furnishings and surroundings expressive of just the right note of restfulness, gay
informality, or elegant simplicity are not often assembled by accident. Even enthusiasm
alone is not enough. For most home decorators, it takes poring over plans, trying colour
schemes, finding ingenious ways to make the best of what you have, and shopping around to
search out just the right purchases at prices you can afford to pay. But there is keen pleasure
in striving for the perfect result, and great satisfaction in achieving it.
A successful house and successful rooms will depend upon the proper relationship of each
element in it to the others and to the whole. Therefore, in selecting each piece it is well to
consider the background, the usage, the draperies, the floor covering, the upholstering
materials, the woods, shapes, colour scheme, and the “feeling” you prefer for the room.

Work and plan to enjoy your house. Limit the expenditures of time, effort and money to the
extent of your abilities, so that just running the house doesn’t dominate your life. Elegance
and delicate things may be a drain you can afford only in a limited way. If you can’t afford
outside help, select a house and furnishings that require less care. Plan your activities so that
tumult and upset are limited to a few rooms—an activity room or a bedroom, or a comer of
the dining room.

You’ll get more pleasure out of a house if you have a hobby connected with it—collecting
glass or antiques, gardening or indoor flower growing ceramics, art, cooking, decorating,
flower arrangements, etc. And you’ll get more satisfaction and a great deal of help from
studying household activities.

You can select a pleasing combination of colours from wallpaper, a fabric, an oriental mg, a
flower or scene, or even a picture in a magazine. If you don’t already have the furniture or
mgs, it is a good idea to make up a colour scheme in this way. Let one colour predominate.
Limit a colour scheme to two or three colours, with white or grey tones.

a) Make notes on the above passage in any suitable format using recognizable
abbreviations wherever necessary. Assign a suitable heading to the passage.
b) Make a summary of the passage.

____________________________________________________________