Which sentence best summarizes a paragraph that presents a central claim and three supporting reasons?

Which sentence best summarizes a paragraph that presents a central claim and three supporting reasons?

• A. A sentence that repeats the central claim in different words.
• B. A sentence that states the central claim and briefly mentions the three reasons.
• C. A sentence that lists all the evidence in full.
• D. A sentence that starts with the author’s bio.

Answer: (B)

When a paragraph presents a central claim with three supporting reasons, the best summary sentence states the central claim and briefly mentions the three reasons. This approach gives a concise map of the argument: what is being claimed and what supports it, without diving into all the details. Repeating the claim in different words is redundant and doesn’t show the relationship to the three reasons. Listing all the evidence in full is too detailed for a summary, and starting with the author’s bio is irrelevant to the argument being summarized.

When a paragraph presents a central claim with three supporting reasons, the best summary sentence states the central claim and briefly mentions the three reasons. This approach gives a concise map of the argument: what is being claimed and what supports it, without diving into all the details. Repeating the claim in different words is redundant and doesn’t show the relationship to the three reasons. Listing all the evidence in full is too detailed for a summary, and starting with the author’s bio is irrelevant to the argument being summarized.