A synopsis is a short account of the main events or main ideas of something longer — a book, a film, a play, a piece of research. It tells you what happens, in order, briefly.

A synopsis is a short account of the main events or main ideas of something longerSynopsis是一份對更長作品的主要事件或主要想法的簡短說明——a book, a film, a play, a piece of research像是一本書、一部電影、一齣戲，或一份研究。It tells you what happens, in order, briefly它按照順序、簡短地告訴你發生了什麼事。

You meet it on the back of a novel, in a programme at the theatre so you know the story before the opera starts in Italian, and in the film and publishing industries, where a writer must send a one-page synopsis before anyone will read the whole script.

You meet it on the back of a novel你會在小說的封底看到它，in a programme at the theatre so you know the story before the opera starts in Italian在劇院的節目單裡，讓你在義大利文歌劇開演前先知道劇情，and in the film and publishing industries還有在電影和出版業裡，where a writer must send a one-page synopsis before anyone will read the whole script作者得先送出一頁的synopsis，才會有人願意看完整的劇本。

Note the difference from a review: a synopsis reports, it does not judge, and unlike a trailer it usually does tell you the ending, because its job is to inform someone who needs to know, not to tempt a customer.

Note the difference from a review注意它跟review（評論）不一樣：a synopsis reports, it does not judgesynopsis只是報告內容，不做評斷，and unlike a trailer it usually does tell you the ending而且跟預告片不同，它通常會告訴你結局，because its job is to inform someone who needs to know因為它的功用是告訴需要知道的人，not to tempt a customer而不是要吸引顧客。

It is a fairly formal word — in ordinary speech people say 'summary' or 'a quick rundown'.

It is a fairly formal word這是個相當正式的詞——in ordinary speech people say 'summary' or 'a quick rundown'平常說話會說「summary」或「a quick rundown」。

The plural is irregular: two 'synopses' (sin-OP-seez). The verb 'synopsise' exists but is rare; people say 'summarise'.

The plural is irregular複數形是不規則的：two 'synopses' (sin-OP-seez)兩份是「synopses」（唸作sin-OP-seez）。The verb 'synopsise' exists動詞「synopsise」是存在的，but is rare但很少用；people say 'summarise'大家會說「summarise」。