What is the primary goal of writing a summary of a passage?

The primary goal of writing a summary of a passage is to condense the main ideas into a shorter format. Summarizing involves distilling the core concepts and essential points of a text, making it easier for readers to grasp the overall message without sifting through all the details. A well-crafted summary focuses on the main arguments or themes, allowing the reader to quickly understand what the original passage conveyed. This is particularly useful for review purposes or when one needs to convey information to others succinctly.

The approach of summarization avoids delving into the minutiae of the text, making it distinct from providing a detailed analysis or critique, which would require deeper insights and evaluations. Additionally, it does not aim to highlight every detail, as this would contradict the very nature of summarization, which seeks brevity. Lastly, while interpreting the author's intentions can enrich one’s understanding of a text, it is not the primary goal of a summary, which remains focused on presenting the main points in a concise manner.