12 Quality Examples of Précis Writing

A précis is an intelligent summary of a long passage. It aims to test your understanding of the passage. Since it is a summary, it is always shorter than the main passage. It expresses only the main themes as briefly as possible.

We promise you that you will find everything you need to write a good precis. Here, we present you 12 quality examples of precise writing with word count, rough drafts, headings and word limits.

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Examples of Précis Writing

Examples of Précis Writing #1

There is an enemy beneath our feet—an enemy more deadly for his complete impartiality. He recognizes no national boundaries, and no political parties. Everyone in the world is threatened by him. The enemy is the Earth itself. When an earthquake strikes, the world trembles. The power of a quake is greater than anything man himself can produce.

But today scientists are directing a great deal of their effort into finding some way of combating earthquakes and, perhaps at some time shortly, mankind will have discovered a means of protecting itself from earthquakes. An earthquake strikes without warning. When it does, its power is immense. If it strikes a modern city, the damage it causes is as great as if it has struck a primitive village. Gas mains burst, explosions are caused and fires are started. Underground railways are wrecked. Buildings collapse, bridges fall, dams burst and gaping crevices appear in busy streets.

If the quake strikes at sea, huge tidal waves sweep inland. If it strikes mountain regions, avalanches roar down into the valley. Consider the terrifying statistics from the past 1755: Lisbon, capital of Portugal—the city was destroyed entirely and 450 killed; 1970: Peru—50,000 killed. In 1968, an earthquake struck Alaska. As this is a relatively unpopulated part, only a few people were killed. But this likely was one of the most powerful quakes ever to have hit the world.

Geologists estimate that during the tremors, the whole of the state moved over 80 feet farther west into the Pacific Ocean. Imagine the power of something that can move an entire subcontinent! This is the problem that scientists face. They are dealing with forces so immense that man cannot hope to resist them. All that can be done is to try to pinpoint just where the earthquake will strike and work from there. At least some precautionary measures can then be taken to save lives and some property. (329 words)

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Examples of Précis Writing #2

Coffee is traditionally grown in Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu in India. It is predominantly an export-oriented commodity and 65% to 70% of the coffee produced in the country is exported, while the rest is consumed within the country. In the international market, Indian Robusta is highly preferred for its good blending quality. Arabica coffee from India is also well-received in the international market.

Coffee is an export product with low import intensity and high employment content. This is evident from the fact that more than six lakh persons are directly employed and an equal number of individuals get indirect employment from this sector. Arabica is a mild coffee, but the beans are more aromatic; it has a higher market value compared to Robusta beans.

On the other hand, Robusta has more strength and is therefore used in making various blends. Arabica is grown in higher altitudes than Robusta. The cool and equable temperature, ranging between 15°C and 25°C, is suitable for Arabica, while for Robusta, a hot and humid climate with temperatures ranging from 20°C to 30°C is suitable.

Arabica requires more care and nurture and is more suitable for large holdings, whereas Robusta is suitable irrespective of the size of the farm. Arabica is susceptible to pests and diseases such as White Stem Borer, and leaf rust, and requires more shade than Robusta. The harvest of Arabica takes place between November and January, while for Robusta, it is from December to February. (240 words)

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Examples of Précis Writing #3

When we survey our lives and efforts, we soon observe that almost the whole of our actions and desires are bound up with the existence of other human beings. We notice that the whole of nature resembles that of social animals. We eat food that others have produced, wear clothes that others have made, and live in houses that others have built. The greater part of our knowledge and beliefs has been passed on to us by other people through the medium of a language that others have created. Without language and mental capacities, we would have been poor indeed comparable to higher animals.

We have therefore to admit that we owe our principal knowledge over the least to the fact of living in human society. The individual if left alone from birth would remain primitive and beast-like in his thoughts and feelings to a degree that we can hardly imagine. The individual is what he is and has the significance that he has not much in virtue of individuality, but rather as a member of a great human community, which directs his material and spiritual existence from the cradle to the grave. (193 words)

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Examples of Précis Writing #4

One of our most difficult problems is what we call to discipline and it is really very complex. You see, society feels that it must control or discipline the citizen, and shape his mind according to certain religious, social, moral, and economic patterns.

Now, is discipline necessary at all? Please listen carefully. Don’t immediately say YES or NO. Most of us feel, especially while we are young, that there should be no discipline, that we should be allowed to do whatever we like and we think that is freedom. But merely to say that we should be free and so on has very little meaning without understanding the whole problem of discipline.

The keen athlete is disciplining himself the whole time, isn’t he? His joy in playing games and the very necessity to keep fit make him go to bed early, refrain from smoking, eat the right food, and generally observe the rules of good health. His discipline and punctuality are not an imposition but a natural outcome of his enjoyment of athletics. (171 words)

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Examples of Précis Writing #5

Teaching is one of the noblest professions. A teacher performs the sacred duty of making his students responsible, compassionate, and disciplined. Apart from developing their intellect, a teacher is also responsible for inculcating the qualities of good citizenship, cleanliness, politeness, and etiquette. These virtues are not easy to be imbibed. Only a person who himself leads a quality life characterized by simplicity, purity, and rigid discipline can successfully cultivate these habits in his pupils.

A teacher always remains young at heart, although he may grow old age. Perpetual contact with budding youngsters keeps him hale and hearty. There are moments when domestic worries weigh heavily on his mind, but the delightful company of innocent children makes him overcome his transient moods of despair. (126 words)

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Examples of Précis Writing #6

A recent visit to the Arctic region brought me face-to-face with the problem of global warming. It made me realize how massive the change is and how grave its consequences will be for all. The ice caps in the Polar Regions are melting rapidly due to deforestation and the increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. If steps are not taken soon, the rising water levels will submerge all the landmasses.

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Ozone depletion is another serious consequence of global warming. These holes or breaches in the protective cover of our planet let harmful UV rays reach us unfiltered. They in turn cause health hazards that are very difficult to treat. Awareness of these effects of our actions and sustainable steps to prevent them is the
need of the hour. (134 Words)

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Examples of Précis Writing #7

It is observed that in schools offering co-education, there is often a power struggle between boys and girls. Even teachers become a part of this when they compare the two and pass gender-biased judgments. Such a treatment is harmful to the overall well-being of the students, as their self-esteem is damaged by receiving undue criticism from teachers.

According to research, boys are often neglected in co-ed schools. Right from their childhood, they are expected to be tougher, stronger, and better than girls. This is a disadvantage for both genders. When girls are not challenged enough, it makes them depressed and dependent. On the other hand, boys are challenged to such an extent that their childhood and innocence are lost. (121 words)

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Examples of Précis Writing #8

Miss Sullivan was an exceptionally brilliant teacher to Helen Keller. She dedicated her entire life to the training and education of Helen. She was chosen by Mr Anognos, the director of Perkins Institution, and took up the challenge with conviction. She had to face a lot of difficulties to get the child to respond to her presence. She was kicked and pinched by Helen, but her resistance did not waver Miss Sullivan’s decision.

She persevered to gain her trust and then gradually began to teach her. She used her expertise and patience while developing innovative methods to teach Helen. She loved her student dearly and was always available for her aid. She helped Helen see the world through her eyes. She dedicated herself entirely to her education. Her dedication and constant support motivated Keller in her life. The day she first met Helen was rightly called by her ‘her soul’s birthday. (152 words)

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Examples of Précis Writing #9

How I Taught My Grandmother to Read is a short story written by Sudha Murthy who remembers one of her childhood experiences when her grandmother wanted to learn the Alphabet. The author was still young, and the story is about a time when there were no television serials or movies in India. The elders took interest in the stories and novels published in a popular Kannada magazine.

One of the novels was Kaashi Yatra, written by Triveni. It was the grandmother’s favourite novel, as she identified herself with the old woman in the novel. Like the old woman in the novel, the author’s grandmother also dreamt of being educated. After being married at a young age and bearing children, the grandmother had to abandon her studies. Therefore, unable to read or write, she would ask the author to read the novel to her.

Once, when the author had gone to a wedding, the magazine arrived but the grandmother could not read it as the author was away. When the author returned home, her grandmother requested her to become her guru and teach her to read. Grandmother explained to her little granddaughter about her long-forgotten love to learn reading and writing. The author agreed to teach her grandmother. In a few days, the grandmother could read the Alphabet.

On the day of Durga Puja, she read the title of the book, Kaashi Yatra, on her own. The author gave her a copy of the book Kaashi Yatra and her grandmother touched her feet in respect; as she was a student touching the feet of her teacher. (260 words)

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Examples of Précis Writing #10

There are different types of products received from forests in India. Forest products are important in the growth and development of industries. Timber is utilized in building activities, industries, and carpentry workshops. Asia’s largest sawmill is in operation in the Andaman Islands. Rubber trees are grown in large numbers in the Western Ghats. A large number of industries are dependent on rubber in Peninsular India.

Wood pulp is made from the wood of the forests and paper is manufactured from the pulp. The States of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh have several paper mills The city of Nepa in Madhya Pradesh has a newsprint industry. Lac and Wax are used in manufacturing paints. (118 Words)

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Examples of Précis Writing #11

A long time ago, there lived a king in a faraway land. He was very weak and sick due to laziness. He consulted his doctor. The doctor was wiser than the king and knew that it was not medicine but healthy exercise that the king needed. The doctor, therefore, brought two heavy clubs of strange wood to the king and said that these clubs contained medicine to cure him. He asked the king to hold them by the handles and turn them until his hands were moist from the exercise.

Moisture, the doctor said, would make the medicine work. He obeys the doctor’s advice and can be seen in the open air at certain times every day, working manually with his magic clubs. His muscles grow stronger, his health improves, and he appreciates the wonderful medicine of his club and the knowledge of his physician.

Title: The King and the Magic Clubs

Precis: A king was suffering from weakness and illness due to his laziness. He consulted his doctor. The doctor saw that the king needed healthy exercise, not medicine. He gave the king two heavy bundles of a strange wood and advised him to swing regularly in the open air until his body began to sweat. Raja followed the doctor’s advice. His health has improved. He appreciated the doctor’s treatment of his disease.

Examples of Précis Writing #12

King Mahala was fond of gold more than anything else in the world. He treasured his royal crown because it was made of that precious metal. If he loved anything good or half as good, it was a little girl who played around her father’s feet so happily. But the more Mahala loved his daughter, the more he desired wealth. He thought the foolish man that he was, the best thing he could possibly do for his beloved child was to bestow upon him the great pile of yellow shiny coins that had been collected since the creation of the world.

So he gave all his thoughts and all his time to this one cause. If ever he looked for a moment at the golden clouds of sunset, he wished they were gold and that they could be safely squeezed into his strong box.

Title: King Mahala’s Obsession with Gold

Precis: King Mahala was fond of gold and treasured his royal crown, but the more he loved his daughter, the more he desired wealth. He decided to bestow upon her a pile of yellow shiny coins that had been collected since the creation of the world.

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