CSS 1986 Solved Precis

• Extremities (noun): The furthest point or limit of something; typically referring to hands and feet
  • Contextual Explanation: The word 'foot' can refer to the lower extremities of the human body, specifically the part at the end of the leg.
• Pun (noun): A joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word
  • Contextual Explanation: The passage mentions a pun about 'lumping verse,' where the critic plays on the double meaning of 'feet' to mock the poet's rhythm.
• Maverick (adjective): Unorthodox, independent-minded; in this context, stray or unusual
  • Contextual Explanation: Context rules out 'maverick senses,' meaning it ignores the stray or irrelevant meanings that don't belong in that specific sentence.

The passage explains 'extremities' as hands or feet, highlights a pun on 'feet' mocking poetic rhythm, and clarifies 'maverick' as unusual or independent, showing how context guides the correct meaning. Moreover, the passage's purpose is to explain that although words have multiple meanings, context enables clear understanding and prevents confusion in communication.

Main Idea of the Passage

• Words possess multiple meanings, but context determines their intended sense, ensuring clarity in communication.

Supporting Ideas Helping the Main Idea

• Many commonly used words have multiple meanings, which increases their usefulness.
• This multiplicity could make communication confusing.
• However, language functions effectively because context controls meaning.
• The surrounding verbal setting helps people identify the correct sense of a word.
• Context eliminates irrelevant or unintended meanings, ensuring accurate understanding.

Confused About Main and Supporting Ideas?

Kindly make sure to revise all five lectures on Precis Writing that I have already delivered. In these sessions, we discussed in detail:

• What a precis is and its purpose.
• What the main idea means and how to extract it effectively.
• What supporting ideas are and how to identify them.
• How to coordinate the main and supporting ideas while writing a concise, coherent precis.

Additionally, go through the 20 examples I shared in the WhatsApp groups. These examples highlight the Dos and Don’ts of Precis Writing, and revising them will help you avoid common mistakes and refine your technique.

Precis 1

Words in language often possess multiple meanings, which increases their usefulness but may create confusion in communication. However, this difficulty is overcome because context determines the intended meaning. In fact, the verbal setting in which a word appears enables the listener or reader to identify its correct sense. Thus, despite having many meanings, words do not hinder understanding as context effectively eliminates irrelevant interpretations and ensures clarity in communication.

• Original Words in the Passage: 220
• Precis Word Count: 69
• Title: Context and Clarity in Language

Precis 2

Words frequently have multiple meanings, making them useful yet potentially confusing. Nevertheless, communication remains clear because context controls meaning. Specifically, the surrounding verbal setting helps determine the intended sense of a word. As a result, despite their varied meanings, words do not cause misunderstanding, since context removes ambiguity and ensures that the correct interpretation is easily understood.

• Original Words in the Passage: 220
• Precis Word Count: 57
• Title: The Role of Context in Understanding Words

Precis 3

Many words have several meanings, which can make them confusing. Nonetheless, context helps determine a word's correct meaning. In particular, the situation in which a word is used clarifies its intended sense. Therefore, even with multiple meanings, words do not hinder communication as context clarifies their intended sense.

• Original Words in the Passage: 220
• Precis Word Count: 48
• Title: How Context Clarifies Meaning

Precis 4

Many words have several meanings, which can make them confusing. Nonetheless, context helps determine a word's correct meaning. In particular, the situation in which a word is used clarifies its intended sense. Therefore, even when words have multiple meanings, context clarifies their intended sense.

• Original Words in the Passage: 220
• Precis Word Count: 48
• Title: How Context Clarifies Meaning

Precis 5

Words have multiple meanings, which can be confusing, but context determines their intended sense. Thus, despite ambiguity, communication remains clear because the surrounding setting ensures correct understanding and eliminates irrelevant meanings.

• Original Words in the Passage: 220
• Precis Word Count: 31
• Title: Context Governs Meaning