复述是一种行之有效的英语口语和写作练习方法，在对一段材料进行复述时，我们并不是机械地照搬原文，而是根据原文意思对内容重新进行整合。这一过程能让我们彻底弄清楚一篇文章框架以及内容，同时我们还会用上文章里面的好词好句，并且学会用自己的语言去转述一个概念，这对于主动输出能力的提升会有很大帮助。

新概念英语的编者亚历山大就多次强调过复述对于英语学习的重要性，事实上，新概念英语教材中也出现了很多与复述相关的说明和练习，比如新概念英语3每篇课文后面都有“摘要写作”（summary writing）练习，对于刚入门复述的学生，教材还给出了具体的操作指导。

对于刚开始接触复述的人来说，应该优先进行笔头复述练习，等到笔头练习比较熟练了再进行口语复述。这样做的主要原因是笔头复述时有更多的时间思考以及组织语句，难度要比口头复述低，更加适合入门。

复述练习的第一步是列出文章的要点，然后用自己的话将这些要点连接成文。如果不知道如何列出要点，我们可以尝试提一些问题，以此来打开思路。比如对于故事性比较强的材料，可以采用“5W1H”原则，即：When, What, Who, Where, Why, How，这几个角度能够帮助我们找出故事的主线。

新概念英语3前20篇课文的复述练习中，作者都列出了一些问题帮助学生找到要点。

比如对于第一课A puma at large，有这么几个问题：

1. What sort of reports were received by London Zoo?

2. Were the reports similar in nature or not?

3. Who saw it first?

4. Did it stay in one place, or did it move from place to place?

5. What did it leave behind it?

6. Were paw prints and puma fur found as well or not?

7. What was heard at night?

8. Was the animal seen up a tree or not?

9. Were experts now sure that the animal really was a puma or not?

这些问题的答案也就是文章的要点。对此，我们可以做出这样的回答：

(1) Reports about a wild puma were received by London Zoo.

(2) These reports were similar in nature.

(3) A woman picking blackberries in a small village saw it first.

(4) The puma moved from place to place.

(5) The puma left behind it a trail of dead dear and small animals like rabbits.

(6) Paw prints and puma fur were found as well.

(7) “Cat-like noises” could be heard at night.

(8) The animal was seen up a tree.

(9) The experts were now sure that the animal was a puma.

接下来我们可以将这些要点连接起来，在连接的过程中要使用逻辑词，并且适当增删一部分内容。这是草稿版本：

After reports about a wild puma were received by London Zoo, experts felt obliged to investigate. These reports were similar in nature. The puma was first seen by a woman picking blackberries in a small village, where the hunt for the animal began. The search proved difficult, because the puma moved from one place to another, and it left behind it a trail of dead dear and small animals. Paw prints and puma fur were found as well. “Cat-like noises” could be heard at night and a businessman saw the puma up a tree. The experts were now sure that the animal was a puma. (105 words)

草稿版本有105词，需要进一步精简到80词以内，精简的技巧主要有同义词替换、词性转换以及句型替换等等。比如：

After reports about a wild puma were received by London Zoo, experts felt obliged to investigate. These reports were similar in nature. 

这句话可以精简为：

After similar reports about a wild puma were received by London Zoo, experts felt obliged to investigate.

又比如：

…the puma moved from one place to another, and it left behind it a trail of dead dear and small animals.

可以精简为：

…the puma was elusive, and it left behind it dead animals.

同时，The puma was first seen by a woman…可以用代词it来指代the puma，减少用词重复。最终形成这个版本：

After similar reports about a wild puma were received by London Zoo, experts felt obliged to investigate. It was first seen by a woman in a small village, where the hunt began. The search proved difficult, because the puma was elusive, and it left behind it dead animals. Paw prints and puma fur were also found. People could hear “cat-like noises” and a businessman saw the puma up a tree. The experts were now sure the animal was a puma. (80 words)

以上就是复述的一个基本流程，感兴趣的同学可以找一找新概念英语3第一单元的其他课文，按照这种方式去做复述练习。