Reading skills

Intensive English course 2017

Table of content
 Analyzing the passage
 Identifying the topic and main idea
 Speed reading technique
• Skimming
• Scanning

 Guessing meaning from context

 Textual analysis
Word

Sentence
(a group of words)

Paragraph
(a group of sentence)

Composition
(a group of paragraphs)

• Could be written in several forms - story, article, essay, letter, note, …

• Have one main purpose, mostly with the title
 A paragraph

Topic sentence

Look for
main idea Supporting details

Concluding sentence
Topic
Introduction
Body
• Paragraph 1

• Paragraph 2

• Paragraph 3

Conclusion
 Identifying the topic
• Topic / Heading / Title
• Look for pictures
• In the first or the last sentences
• Repeated words (again and again and again)
• Phrase – not a sentence
• FiRST Technique
Identifying the topic

Fi first sentence (or the last)

R repeated words or phrase

ST the same thing

Identifying the main idea
Topic + the author’s point about the topic = Main idea

• What the whole paragraph is all about in one

sentence
• Mostly in the first or in the last sentence
• Write it in your own words
Techniques for reading test
1. Read the topic first
Intro + Conclusion = Prediction
2. Read the first sentence of every paragraph
3. Try to come up with your own conclusion
4. Read choice to see what you have to look for
5. Don’t have to read everything or translate every words
1. What is the main idea of this
passage?
a. How to register a website
b. How to buy product
c. How to start an online business
d. How to get to work
2. Which one should be the topic of this
passage?
a. Legal document
b. Platform for business
c. Setting up a factory
d. Setting up online business
 What is skimming?
Skimming focuses on understanding the main idea and
concept. It works best with non-fiction material. You
won’t read everything. You read only what is important
to you. You may stop for interesting facts but then quickly
continue to skim the book.
 What is scanning?
Scanning is a technique to trigger and extract key
information and ideas such as names, numbers, specific
facts. Scanning involves moving your eyes quickly down
the page identifying specific words and phrases to either
find a particular answer or grasping the basic main idea.
You can also use it to determine whether a new resource
will answer your questions or not.
 How to skim or scan?
• Read the topic (if any)

• Read the key sentences (usually the first sentences of

each paragraph)

• Scan for name and numbers

• Scan for trigger words

• Do not try to understand everything that is not asked

TO: syamoto@hyndi.com
FROM: klee@globalmail.com
SUBJECT: AE123-QR/20

Dear Ms.Yamoto,

I am pleased to have the opportunity extended to me to work for your department. This
position interests me greatly. However, I feel that the remuneration package you offer is
not commensurate with my education and experience.

Please consider that after eight years of experience in the field, I will be able to be
effective immediately. I am eager to get started in the new job as soon as possible, and
am confident that we can reach agreement on remuneration.

I would like to meet with you again to discuss this, and will call to arrange an
appointment.

Best regards,
Katie Lee
1. What is the main purpose of this email?
A. To accept a position
B. To request an appointment
C. To negotiate the starting date
D. To decline an offer

2. Which of the following is TRUE?

A. Ms. Lee is satisfied with an offer.
B. Ms. Yamoto worked in the same company for eight years.
C. Ms. Yamoto interviewed Ms. Lee.
D. Ms. Lee is in charge of accounts.

3. In the first paragraph, the word “commensurate” is closest in meaning to?

A. costly
B. indicative
C. matched
D. reasonable
1. What is the main purpose of this email?
A. To accept a position
B. To request an appointment
C. To negotiate the starting date
D. To decline an offer

2. Which of the following is TRUE?

A. Ms. Lee is satisfied with an offer.
B. Ms. Yamoto worked in the same company for eight years.
C. Ms. Yamoto interviewed Ms. Lee.
D. Ms. Lee is in charge of accounts.

3. In the first paragraph, the word “commensurate” is closest in meaning to?

A. costly
B. indicative
C. matched
D. reasonable
1- Many people like to eat pizza, but not everyone knows how to make it. Making the perfect pizza
can be complicated, but there are lots of ways for you to make a more basic version at home.

2- When you make pizza, you must begin with the crust. The crust can be hard to make. If you want to
make the crust yourself, you will have to make dough using flour, water, and yeast. You will have to
knead the dough with your hands. If you do not have enough time to do this, you can use a prepared
crust that you buy from the store.

3- After you have chosen your crust, you must then add the sauce. Making your own sauce from
scratch can take a long time. You have to buy tomatoes, peel them, and then cook them with spices.
If this sounds like too much work, you can also purchase jarred sauce from the store. Many jarred
sauces taste almost as good as the kind you make at home.

4- Now that you have your crust and your sauce, you need to add the cheese. Cheese comes from
milk, which comes from cows. Do you have a cow in your backyard? Do you know how to milk the
cow? Do you know how to turn that milk into cheese? If not, you might want to buy cheese from the
grocery store instead of making it yourself.

5- When you have the crust, sauce, and cheese ready, you can add other toppings. Some people like
to put meat on their pizza, while other people like to add vegetables. Some people even like to add
pineapple! The best part of making a pizza at home is that you can customize it by adding your own
favorite ingredients.
4.The author's main purpose in writing this passage is to…
A. describe the history of pizza
B. teach a healthier way to make pizza
C. outline steps to make a basic pizza at home
D. provide tips about how to make your pizza especially delicious

5. As used in paragraph 1, which word means the opposite of complicated?

A. difficult
B. simple
C. easy
D. manageable

6. In paragraph 3, the author writes, "Many jarred sauces taste almost as good
as the kind you make at home." The purpose of this statement is to…
A. clarify a later statement
B. provide an example
C. clarify an earlier statement
D. explain the previous paragraph
4.The author's main purpose in writing this passage is to…
A. describe the history of pizza
B. teach a healthier way to make pizza
C. outline steps to make a basic pizza at home
D. provide tips about how to make your pizza especially delicious

5. As used in paragraph 1, which word means the opposite of complicated?

A. difficult
B. simple
C. easy
D. manageable

6. In paragraph 3, the author writes, "Many jarred sauces taste almost as good
as the kind you make at home." The purpose of this statement is to…
A. clarify a later statement
B. provide an example
C. clarify an earlier statement
D. explain the previous paragraph
7. In paragraph 4, the author asks a series of questions in order to…
A. support the idea that most people cannot make homemade cheese
B. reinforce the idea that most people probably live on farms
C. prove that store-bought cheese tastes better than homemade cheese
D. emphasize the superiority of homemade cheese over store bought cheese

8. As used in paragraph 5, which is the best definition for customize?

A. to make personal
B. to prepare for more than one
C. to eat while hot
D. to desire

9. Which of the following words best describes how the author feels about
making a pizza from scratch?
A. helpful
B. understanding
C. enthusiastic
D. negative
7. In paragraph 4, the author asks a series of questions in order to…
A. support the idea that most people cannot make homemade cheese
B. reinforce the idea that most people probably live on farms
C. prove that store-bought cheese tastes better than homemade cheese
D. emphasize the superiority of homemade cheese over store bought cheese

8. As used in paragraph 5, which is the best definition for customize?

A. to make personal
B. to prepare for more than one
C. to eat while hot
D. to desire

9. Which of the following words best describes how the author feels about
making a pizza from scratch?
A. helpful
B. understanding
C. enthusiastic
D. negative
10. Which of the following conclusions would work best at the end of this
passage?

A. Although the crust, sauce, and toppings are all important ingredients in pizza,
it is clear that the cheese is most important. Therefore, be sure your cheese is
homemade.

B. It can be understood that making your pizza from scratch should be avoided
at all costs. Use store bought ingredients and save yourself a heap of trouble.

C. As you can see, cooking a pizza can be fun, but it can also be very
expensive. But, as you can see, the best things are worth paying for.

D. Once you have prepared the crust, sauce, cheese, and toppings, you are
ready to bake your pizza. I think you will see that making pizza at home can be
a good alternative to purchasing it from the store.
Guessing from the context
Guessing from context refers to the ability to infer the meaning of
an expression using contextual clues. These clues may be purely
linguistic or situational:
• Linguistic context: the linguistic environment in which a word is
used within a text
• Situational context: extra linguistic elements that contribute to
the construction of meaning this may involve background
knowledge of the subject.
Guessing from the context
• Your knowledge of the world
• Punctuation clues
• Definitions clues
• Example clues
• Comparison clues
• Contrast clues
• Referent clues
1. Your knowledge of the world
Your knowledge of the world and how things generally work.

e.g.

Some vegetarians believe that killing animals is wrong.

Others are vegetarians because they think meat is bad for
people.

Part of speech ____________________________________________

Noun

A vegetarian is probably __________________________________

a person who does not eat meat
2. Punctuation clues
The meaning of the word is explained immediately after
comma (,), brackets (), dash (-).
e.g.
Another dangerous form of weather is hail (falling balls of
ice) which has been known to get so big that it can break a
car windshield.
Part of speech ____________________________________________
Noun

Hail is probably ___________________________________________

pellets of frozen rain that fall in showers from cumulonimbus clouds
3. Definition clues
The meaning is explained in the definition in the sentence, or
after the word: is/was/are, i.e. (that is), called, including,
which/who/where.
e.g.
Manu new businesses go bankrupt, which means they lose
everything.
Part of speech ____________________________________________
Adjective

Bankrupt is probably declared

______________________________________
in law unable to pay outstanding debts
4. Example clues
Example clues follow by expressions: such as, for instance,
including, for example, and like.

e.g.

A great part of Canada’s economy is based on its natural

resources, for instance coal, oil, and wood.
Adjective
Part of speech ____________________________________________

Natural resources mean resources

__________________________________
that exist without actions of humankind
5. Comparison clues
Comparison clues show how two or more things are alike,
followed by words like as well as, both, likewise, similarly.

e.g.

A soft cloth will soak up a lot of water. Likewise, a sponge is

very absorbent.
Adjective
Part of speech ____________________________________________
able to soak up liquid easily
Absorbent means _________________________________________
6. Contrast clues
Contrast clues follow by words like however, yet, on the
other hand, instead of, but, while, although.

e.g.

Many of the elderly who go to programs at Centennial

House are highly stimulated. On the other hand, old
people who stay home all the time are usually bored.
To be encouraged interest or activity
To be stimulated means _______________________________