For the first part of your final exam you must write a summary of a short reading. Below I have written a summary of “Pregnant in New York” just as you have recently done for homework. Overall, the most important part of the summary is emphasizing what the author’s purpose is. For instance, do not just list facts from the reading. Show a train of thoughts the author follows to deliver his or her main point.

“Pregnant in New York” is by Anna Quindlen, an author who captures her experience of being pregnant in New York City in an essay full of humorous, and sometimes frustrating anecdotes. In the beginning of her essay Quindlen writes “I love New York, but it’s a tough place to be pregnant,” and she soon goes on to describe the types of people that have it easy in New York — “millionaires, actors, dancers” — but definitely not pregnant women. Quindlen’s larger idea is that in New York, no one has any privacy. Her examples, although about her experience with pregnancy, describe New York as a place where everyone is in each other’s “business.” For instance, Quindlen visits a deli to order lunch, but instead is teased for ordering too much food. Additionally, during this same episode, the deli counterman transgresses personal boundaries and tries to foresee the sex of Quindlen’s unborn child, using an obscure method divined to him from a great aunt. The episode is ridiculous. However, this goes to demonstrate that in New York privacy is scarce. After several examples describing how her personal space has been violated in the public spaces of New York, Quindlen concludes with a positive example. One evening while in a crowded midtown subway station Quindlen is surrounded by a couple women who see that the author needs to be shielded from the crowd. These women surround Quindlen and made sure she got onto her train safely. With this final example, Quindlen shows that a shortage of privacy in New York is not always a bad thing.

Okay folks, if you want +2 extra credit points, re-write a summary for “Pregnant in New York” as a response to this post. Try to do these things:

• Give the title and author of reading in the beginning
• State the author’s main point/purpose near the beginning
• Use a series of transitions to navigate between supporting ideas/examples the author gives to reach his or her main point
• Refer to the author by his or her last name after he or she is introduced the first time
• Use one quote in your summary from the reading
• Restate the author’s main idea towards the end of the summary and clearly signal your summary is ending
• Do not give your personal reaction in the summary