1. Understand the Core:
* Identify the plot: What are the main events of the story? What happens to the characters?
* Recognize the theme: What is the overall message or idea the author is trying to convey?
* Note the tone: Is the story funny, serious, suspenseful, or something else?
2. Simplify and Summarize:
* Focus on the essentials: Don't include every detail, only the important events that drive the story forward.
* Use your own language: Don't just copy the original words, but rephrase them in a way that makes sense to you.
* Be concise: Aim for a shorter version that captures the main points.
3. Maintain the Essence:
* Keep the story's structure: Don't change the order of events drastically.
* Preserve the mood: If the original story is lighthearted, your paraphrase should be too.
* Stay true to the theme: Your paraphrase should convey the same underlying message as the original.
Example:
Original Story:
"The little red hen found a grain of wheat. She asked the cat, 'Will you help me plant this wheat?' The cat said, 'No, I'd rather take a nap.' She asked the pig, 'Will you help me plant this wheat?' The pig said, 'No, I'd rather eat mud.' She asked the dog, 'Will you help me plant this wheat?' The dog said, 'No, I'd rather chase my tail.' So the little red hen planted the wheat herself. Then she asked the cat, 'Will you help me harvest the wheat?' The cat said, 'No, I'd rather take a nap.' She asked the pig, 'Will you help me harvest the wheat?' The pig said, 'No, I'd rather eat mud.' She asked the dog, 'Will you help me harvest the wheat?' The dog said, 'No, I'd rather chase my tail.' So the little red hen harvested the wheat herself. Then she asked the cat, 'Will you help me grind the wheat into flour?' The cat said, 'No, I'd rather take a nap.' She asked the pig, 'Will you help me grind the wheat into flour?' The pig said, 'No, I'd rather eat mud.' She asked the dog, 'Will you help me grind the wheat into flour?' The dog said, 'No, I'd rather chase my tail.' So the little red hen ground the wheat into flour herself. Then she asked the cat, 'Will you help me bake bread?' The cat said, 'Yes, I'll help you bake bread!' The pig said, 'Yes, I'll help you bake bread!' The dog said, 'Yes, I'll help you bake bread!' But the little red hen said, 'No, I've worked hard and I'll eat all the bread myself.'"
Paraphrased Story:
A hardworking hen named Red found a seed and wanted to grow wheat. She asked her lazy friends, the cat, pig, and dog, to help, but they were too busy napping, eating mud, and chasing tails. So Red did all the work herself – planting, harvesting, and grinding the wheat into flour. When it came time to bake bread, her friends suddenly wanted to help, but Red decided to enjoy the fruits of her labor all by herself.
Key Points:
* The core plot and theme (the importance of hard work) are preserved.
* The original story's tone (lighthearted, humorous) is maintained.
* The paraphrase is shorter and uses simpler language.