What does it mean to "summarize" a text?

To "summarize" a text means to distill its essential points into a concise form, focusing on the main ideas without extraneous details. This approach allows the reader to grasp the core message of the text quickly. When summarizing, it is important to identify key concepts and main arguments, which often involves rephrasing them in a way that eliminates unnecessary elaboration.

In contrast, the options that involve criticizing the main points, providing detailed examples, or analyzing supporting details do not align with the definition of summarizing, because they require a deeper engagement with the text than simply condensing it to its main ideas. Summarizing is about creating a clear overview, not critiquing or dissecting information.