PMS Punjab 2019 Solved Precis

• Eulogize (Verb): Praise highly in speech or writing
  • Contextual Explanation: Refers to people who uncritically glorify or overly praise their past, focusing only on its positive aspects without acknowledging flaws
• Utopian (Adjective): Modelled on or aiming for a state in which everything is perfect; idealistic
  • Contextual Explanation: Describes a past that is imagined as impossibly perfect or ideal, rather than being viewed with realism
• Reverence (Noun): Deep respect for someone or something
  • Contextual Explanation: Describes the profound respect, combined with critical thinking, that successful individuals apply when engaging with historical events
• Enshrine (Verb): To place (a revered or precious object) in an appropriate container or place; figuratively, to preserve (a right, tradition, or idea) in a form that ensures it will be protected and respected
  • Contextual Explanation: To keep cherished and significant images and events from the past securely preserved and respected in collective and individual memory
• Precipitated (Verb): To cause (an event or situation, typically one that is bad or undesirable) to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely
  • Contextual Explanation: Describes how certain mistakes or reasons caused past civilizations to suddenly and quickly decline or fall
• Skewed (Adjective): Not straight or level; asymmetrical or distorted in a way that is misleading or unfair
  • Contextual Explanation: Describes a distorted, biased, or unbalanced relationship that people with an uncertain future have with their history
• Eschew (Verb): Deliberately avoid using; abstain from
  • Contextual Explanation: Describes those who deliberately avoid engaging with or using the actual, experienced past (lived history) and its lessons
• Albeit (Conjunction): Although
  • Contextual Explanation: Used to introduce a contrasting element, indicating that the relationship between past and future is strange, although also ironic

The passage describes two contrasting ways people relate to history: one group views the past realistically, critically, and comprehensively, learning lessons to build a better future; the other group, having an uncertain future, romanticizes and invents a false, perfect past, thereby failing to benefit from it. The purpose of this argumentative passage is to advocate for a critical and comprehensive study of history as a prerequisite for a successful future. Indeed, the author wants to convince the reader that genuine progress is built on learning from both the triumphs and failures of the past, not by inventing a utopian historical narrative.

Main Idea of the Passage

• Societies progress when they study their past critically and realistically, learning from both achievements and failures, but decline when they ignore lessons of history and cling to imagined golden ages.

Supporting Ideas Helping the Main Idea

• There is an ironic link between how people view their past and how they shape their future.
• Those who critically examine history gain lasting lessons and confidence in the future.
• They analyze values and flaws of past civilizations, preserve remains, and adopt uplifting traits while avoiding harmful errors.
• In contrast, insecure societies distort or romanticize history, neglect real lessons, and fabricate utopian pasts.
• Such approaches prevent them from drawing genuine benefit from history.

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

A paradox links the past and future: nations that critically examine history gain confidence and guidance while those that merely exalt it fail to benefit. Thus, societies with vision analyze both the strengths and weaknesses of earlier civilizations, preserve their heritage, and adopt values that promote progress while avoiding causes of decline. By contrast, insecure people ignore lived history, abandon its legacy, and instead create imagined golden ages. Indeed, such romanticized views deny them the practical lessons necessary for genuine advancement.

• Original Words in the Passage: 247
• Precis Word Count: 81
• Title: Learning from History

Precis 2

Humanity shares a satirical link between its past and future. To elaborate, individuals approaching history realistically and sagaciously gain eternal wisdom, for they learn from the past to build a confident future, studying old civilizations' rise or fall and preserving their legacy. Undoubtedly, these groups assume beneficial behaviors and reject past mistakes. In contrast, those who distort the past and create a fake, unrealistic history consistently fail as they ignore true history, its heritage, and its lessons, ultimately gaining no advantage.

• Original Words in the Passage: 247
• Precis Word Count: 81
• Title: Understanding History for a Better Future

Precis 3

Humanity's historical engagement presents a paradoxical dichotomy impacting future trajectory. For instance, rigorous, critical appraisal yields profound, actionable insights, promising a confident future. Indeed, such discernment assimilates factors leading to old civilizations' successes and failures, adopting beneficial attributes and eschewing past errors, which safeguards legacies and defines progress. Conversely, those simply venerating a fabricated perfect past invariably falter. Indeed, these future-uncertain people invent a crooked, subjective history, disregarding authentic lessons and, ultimately, precluding genuine progress.

• Original Words in the Passage: 247
• Precis Word Count: 75
• Title: Historical Perspective and Societal Progression

Precis 4

The fate of societies depends on how they engage with their past. Those who study history truthfully extract enduring lessons, preserve cultural relics, and integrate constructive values while discarding destructive tendencies, thereby strengthening their prospects. Conversely, those uncertain about their future dismiss authentic history, neglect its legacy, and fabricate idealized pasts. Ultimately, this distorted relationship blinds them to meaningful guidance and true benefit.

• Original Words in the Passage: 247
• Precis Word Count: 63
• Title: History as a Guide