Paraphrasing Worksheets - 15 Worksheets Library - Free Printable

Absolutely! Let’s break down the task and solve it step by step.

---

📌 Task: Paraphrase the passage

> *“An act of vision is not so simple a matter as the student who asked her master if she should ‘paint nature as she saw nature’ would seem to have thought. And his answer, ‘Yes, madam, provided you don’t see nature as you paint nature,’ expressed the first difficulty the student of painting has to face: the difficulty of learning to see.”*

*(From “The Practice and Science of Drawing” by Harold Speed)*

---

## ✔ Step-by-Step Paraphrasing Process (Following the Worksheet’s Guide)

1️⃣ READ

We read the passage carefully to understand its meaning.

Key ideas:
- Painting what you see isn’t as easy as it sounds.
- A student asks if she should paint nature exactly as she sees it.
- The master replies with a twist: “Yes — but only if you don’t let your painting change how you see.”
- This reveals the first big challenge for artists: learning to truly *see* nature before painting it.

---

2️⃣ TAKE NOTES

Jot down main points in your own words:

- Seeing vs. painting are connected — painting can distort true observation.
- The master’s answer is paradoxical: you must see *before* you paint, not while painting.
- The core problem for new painters: they need to train their eyes to observe objectively.

---

3️⃣ THINK

How can I rephrase this without changing the meaning?

Think about:
- Replacing complex phrases (“an act of vision”) with simpler ones (“seeing clearly” or “observing”).
- Keeping the irony of the master’s reply.
- Preserving the idea that perception must come before creation.

---

4️⃣ WRITE — Final Paraphrase

> Painting what you see might sound straightforward, but it’s actually more complicated than it seems. One student once asked her teacher if she should paint nature exactly as she perceived it. The teacher replied, “Yes — but only if your painting doesn’t change how you see nature.” This highlights the first major challenge every painter must overcome: learning to observe the world accurately before trying to recreate it on canvas.

---

## 💡 Why This Works

- Same meaning: The paraphrase retains the original message — that true artistic seeing requires training and is not automatic.
- Simpler language: Words like “act of vision” become “seeing clearly,” making it more accessible.
- No added opinions: We didn’t insert our own ideas — we only restated the author’s.
- Structure preserved: The story of the student and teacher remains intact, including the twist in the master’s reply.

---

✔ Final Answer (to write in the worksheet lines):

> Painting what you see might sound straightforward, but it’s actually more complicated than it seems. One student once asked her teacher if she should paint nature exactly as she perceived it. The teacher replied, “Yes — but only if your painting doesn’t change how you see nature.” This highlights the first major challenge every painter must overcome: learning to observe the world accurately before trying to recreate it on canvas.

---

Let me know if you’d like to try paraphrasing it in a different tone (e.g., casual, formal, poetic) — happy to help! 🎨📚