CSS 2017 Solved Precis

• Up and doing (idiom): Actively engaged; busy
  • Contextual Explanation: Refers to people who are constantly in action but lack clarity about their purpose or timing
• Denouncing (verb): Publicly declaring something as wrong or evil
  • Contextual Explanation: Imagines the devil criticizing laziness, reflecting society's blind opposition to inactivity
• Wager (verb): To bet or speculate
  • Contextual Explanation: Suggests a strong assumption that in hell, idleness is not tolerated
• Muddle (noun): A confused or disordered state
  • Contextual Explanation: Describes the world's chaotic condition, not caused by laziness but by misdirected activity
• Active virtues (noun phrase): Qualities involving energetic action and initiative
  • Contextual Explanation: The world is full of action-driven traits; it does not lack energy or activity.
• Passive virtues (noun phrase): Traits like patience, kindness, or calmness
  • Contextual Explanation: The world lacks gentler, thoughtful qualities such as kindness and steady thought.
• Fussy (adjective): Overly busy with unnecessary details
  • Contextual Explanation: Highlights that many people are energetically involved in trivial matters
• Smitten (verb): Suddenly affected or struck by a feeling
  • Contextual Explanation: Imagines a scenario where leaders were overcome by a desire to relax instead of acting, which could have prevented war
• Lounged about (phrasal verb): Relaxed casually; idled
  • Contextual Explanation: Suggests inactivity (lounging) could have produced better results than hurried efforts
• In good trim (idiom): In well-ordered condition
  • Contextual Explanation: The world's affairs could have been well-managed through thoughtful inaction.
• Condemning (verb): Expressing strong disapproval
  • Contextual Explanation: Highlights how religious leaders focus on minor moral criticisms like fashion or music instead of addressing real issues

The passage criticizes the misdirected energy of overactive people, arguing that their restless busyness causes more harm than good, while advocating idleness or leisure as a source of wisdom, balance, and better decision-making. Moreover, the purpose of the passage is to show that the world’s troubles are not due to laziness but to excessive, misdirected activity, and that rest and reflection are sometimes more beneficial than constant action.

Main Idea of the Passage

• Much of the world’s chaos stems not from laziness but from restless activity without thought, and leisure could often prevent harm and restore balance.

Supporting Ideas Helping the Main Idea

• The busiest people, unaware of what to do or when, cause most evils.
• The devil symbolizes ceaseless but destructive activity.
• The world suffers not from lack of energy but from lack of kindness and reflection.
• Misguided activity led to disasters like the First World War, which might have been avoided with timely leisure.
• Statesmen after Versailles worsened affairs by rushing instead of pausing.
• Even today, politicians’ obsession with busyness prevents peace and progress.
• Religious sects waste energy on trivialities instead of addressing real social evils.
• Proper idleness restores wisdom, balance, and mental health.

Confused About Main and Supporting Ideas?

Kindly make sure to revise all five lectures on Precis Writing that I have already delivered. In these sessions, we discussed in detail:

• What a precis is and its purpose.
• What the main idea means and how to extract it effectively.
• What supporting ideas are and how to identify them.
• How to coordinate the main and supporting ideas while writing a concise, coherent precis.

Additionally, go through the 20 examples I shared in the WhatsApp groups. These examples highlight the Dos and Don’ts of Precis Writing, and revising them will help you avoid common mistakes and refine your technique.

Precis 1

Many of the world's problems stem not from laziness but from constant, unthinking activity. Although human energy is abundant, it is often misdirected instead of being applied with reflection or kindness. In particular, excessive busyness, especially among leaders and politicians, leads to poor decisions and societal disorder. Indeed, historical events show that had decision-makers paused and allowed for reflection, disasters might have been averted. Similarly, contemporary politicians and religious leaders focus on trivial matters rather than addressing pressing issues. Nonetheless, periodic idleness, contemplation, and mental rest, in place of engaging in futile activity, are essential for humans to restore their mental health.

• Original Words in the Passage: 435
• Precis Word Count: 145
• Title: The Dangers of Misdirected Activity

Precis 2

The world suffers not from laziness but rather from overactivity and misdirected energy. Even though humans are energetic, much of their effort is applied without thought, kindness, or purpose. In particular, leaders' unrestrained activity, without reflection, has historically worsened crises and, even today, continues to hinder societal progress. Moreover, politicians and religious authorities often focus on insignificant matters while ignoring serious problems. But in truth, occasional inactivity and mental rest would enhance people's judgment capacity, thereby allowing them to act more wisely.

• Original Words in the Passage: 435
• Precis Word Count: 82
• Title: Misguided Activity Causes Worldly Evils

Precis 3

The world’s misfortunes come not from inactivity but from incessant, purposeless action. Moreover, abundant human energy is often misapplied without thought or purpose. Indeed, both historical and modern examples show that leaders and officials, caught up in unchecked hustle, frequently make unwise decisions, contributing to societal chaos. Furthermore, instead of addressing critical issues, politicians and religious authorities become preoccupied with trivial matters, leaving pressing issues unattended. Therefore, restorative inactivity provides humans with the clearest path to clarity and balance.

• Original Words in the Passage: 435
• Precis Word Count: 79
• Title: How Misguided Busyness Harms Society