Auf einen Blick / At a glance
Free Abitur English practice pack: summarise a text on ambition and the American Dream, practising concise exam-style summary writing.
- Niveau / Level
- B2–C1 (GER/CEFR)
- Für / For
- Abitur
- Fertigkeiten / Skills
- Leseverstehen / Reading, Schreiben / Writing
- Schwerpunkt / Focus
- Writing summaries
- Aufgaben / Tasks
- 5
- Kosten / Cost
- kostenlos, ohne Anmeldung / free, no sign-up
📘 Reference Guide: Writing Summaries
Example: "The article explains that..." (not "explained")
Example: "The writer argues that ambition has changed shape."
Example: Avoid "I think..." or "In my opinion..."
Example: Instead of listing three examples, write: "The article gives several examples of this trend."
Exercise 1 · Identify Key Points
Read the article. Classify each sentence below as a Main Idea, a Supporting Detail, or Irrelevant for a summary.
The Ambition Gap: Why Young Americans Are Rewriting the Rules of Success
For most of the twentieth century, the American Dream had a simple shape: work hard, climb the ladder, and the good life would follow. Ask any twenty-five-year-old today whether that promise still holds, and you will likely be met with a tired laugh. Something has shifted, and it is not merely a matter of economics.
Consider Daniel Ruiz, a 27-year-old marketing associate in Ohio. He grew up watching his father clock sixty-hour weeks at a steel plant that closed twice and reopened once, chasing a stability that never quite arrived. Daniel now works four days a week by choice, earning less than his father did, and describes himself as happier than his parents ever were.
He is far from alone. A recent Economist/YouGov poll found that 69% of Americans under thirty say the ideal working week is 35 hours or less, compared with 36% of those aged 65 and over. Employers who once dangled titles and corner offices are discovering that a new generation simply is not biting.
Critics call this laziness. Sociologists call it something else entirely: a rational response to a broken bargain. Their grandparents built companies; their parents built portfolios; they are building, above all, boundaries. The ambition has not disappeared — it has relocated, from the office to the self.
Whether this shift represents decline or wisdom will be argued for years. But one thing is already clear: the old ladder is rusting, and nobody under thirty seems particularly interested in climbing it.
Exercise 2 · Umbrella Sentences
For each set of specific details, choose the best "umbrella sentence" that summarises them as one general statement.
📄 Read the article again
For most of the twentieth century, the American Dream had a simple shape: work hard, climb the ladder, and the good life would follow. Ask any twenty-five-year-old today whether that promise still holds, and you will likely be met with a tired laugh. Something has shifted, and it is not merely a matter of economics.
Consider Daniel Ruiz, a 27-year-old marketing associate in Ohio. He grew up watching his father clock sixty-hour weeks at a steel plant that closed twice and reopened once, chasing a stability that never quite arrived. Daniel now works four days a week by choice, earning less than his father did, and describes himself as happier than his parents ever were.
He is far from alone. A recent Economist/YouGov poll found that 69% of Americans under thirty say the ideal working week is 35 hours or less, compared with 36% of those aged 65 and over. Employers who once dangled titles and corner offices are discovering that a new generation simply is not biting.
Critics call this laziness. Sociologists call it something else entirely: a rational response to a broken bargain. Their grandparents built companies; their parents built portfolios; they are building, above all, boundaries. The ambition has not disappeared — it has relocated, from the office to the self.
Whether this shift represents decline or wisdom will be argued for years. But one thing is already clear: the old ladder is rusting, and nobody under thirty seems particularly interested in climbing it.
Exercise 3 · Correct the Tenses
Choose the grammatically correct version for a summary. Remember: summaries use the simple present tense.
Exercise 4 · Formal vs Informal
Choose the more formal, objective option suitable for an academic summary.
Exercise 5 · Write a Full Summary
Write a full summary of the article (100–120 words) in your own words, using the present tense and a formal, objective style.
📄 Read the article again
For most of the twentieth century, the American Dream had a simple shape: work hard, climb the ladder, and the good life would follow. Ask any twenty-five-year-old today whether that promise still holds, and you will likely be met with a tired laugh. Something has shifted, and it is not merely a matter of economics.
Consider Daniel Ruiz, a 27-year-old marketing associate in Ohio. He grew up watching his father clock sixty-hour weeks at a steel plant that closed twice and reopened once, chasing a stability that never quite arrived. Daniel now works four days a week by choice, earning less than his father did, and describes himself as happier than his parents ever were.
He is far from alone. A recent Economist/YouGov poll found that 69% of Americans under thirty say the ideal working week is 35 hours or less, compared with 36% of those aged 65 and over. Employers who once dangled titles and corner offices are discovering that a new generation simply is not biting.
Critics call this laziness. Sociologists call it something else entirely: a rational response to a broken bargain. Their grandparents built companies; their parents built portfolios; they are building, above all, boundaries. The ambition has not disappeared — it has relocated, from the office to the self.
Whether this shift represents decline or wisdom will be argued for years. But one thing is already clear: the old ladder is rusting, and nobody under thirty seems particularly interested in climbing it.
🎉 All Exercises Complete!
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