To read a writer is for me not merely to get an idea of what he says, but to go off with him, and travel in his company. Andre gride
Reading Strategies
Contents • • • • • • • • • • • •
Reading introduction Ways of doing a RC The screen Before answering Time management 10 types of questions Vocabulary questions Fact, detail questions Identify Check Rhetorical structure paraphrasing
• • • • • • • • • •
Articles prepositions Except questions Variations Inference questions Tip Sentence insertion Sequence Prose summary Sum up A thought 2
Reading Introduction
TOEFL iBT starts with reading comprehension There will be about 3 to 5 passages Time given will be about 60mins to 100mins
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Ways Of Doing RC-1 Takes about 20mins Read the full RC Make notes by skimming Read the question Ref. To notes, scan the passage & ans.
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Ways Of Doing RC-2 Could take more than 20min Read only the 1st line & the last line of every para Read the Qs. Scan to locate the line Skim or read in detail to get the ans., Develop your own strategy but we believe the 1st to be more effective 5
The Screen The screen is divided into 2 parts On one half the passage will appear On the other half the questions will appear You can scroll down to read the passage
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Before Answering Make notes as you read Note Down the central idea of the passage Note down the central idea in every paragraph Even if you don’t understand something, don’t stop, continue reading. An idea is enough at this stage.
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Time Management As you start attempting the questions the understanding will improve Refer to the notes, scan the passage and answer the questions Do read the full passage, it takes about 68mins to read a 700 or so worded passage In the rest of the 12-14mins you must attempt the questions related to the passage 8
The 10 Types Of Reading Questions TYPE/SKILL
NUMBER OF QUESTIONS
Understanding facts and details
8 – 10
Identifying negative facts/not given
2 – 3
Locating referents/pronoun
2 – 3
Understanding vocabulary in contest
2 – 10
Making inferences
3
Determining rhetoric purpose
3
Recognizing paraphrases
3
Recognizing coherence/sentence insertion 3 Prose Summarizing important ideas
2 – 3
Drag n drop/organizing information
1
Total number of questions--36-42
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Skill -1 Vocabulary Questions
There are many shades to a word Look only for the contextual meaning Transitions ,appositions, surrounding sentences help Look for contrast & comparison words Knowledge of prefixes, suffixes, roots help in guessing & in eliminating 10
Look For The Usage
Look for the usage
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Example-1 • When you are in an interview, try not to show any overt signs that you are nervous. Don’t shift in your chair, shake or stutter. • Overt means – a. subtle. – b. obnoxious. – c. obvious. – d. confident. 12
Example-2 • Although teaching is not a particularly lucrative career, I wouldn’t do anything else. Knowing I’m helping others to learn is far more important to me than money. • Lucrative means – a. highly profitable. – b. highly rewarding. – c. highly exciting. – d. highly repetitive. 13
Q 1& Q 4 Q1. Fodder –writers need fodder to write ,in other words they need material not stories(to write a story),support or problems Q4. Clue is in the sentence which follows it and explains by carrying the same idea forward. • Runaway- with no internal force to stop it, the star will continue to collapse…
Skill-2. Fact And Detail Questions
Tests the basic comprehension of key facts in the passage Read the questions carefully Identify the idea not the specific word or idiom Look for a synonym or different part of speech since the question can be restated
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Skill-2. Fact And Detail Questions
Scan quickly to eliminate the impossible choices Follow the directions if they are given Otherwise follow the outline(notes)
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The Answer Might Not Depend On The Tough Words
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Identify
Cause & effect Reason Intension Sequence Time Place Negative words 18
Check
Make your choice based on stated facts not assumptions ALWAYS CHECK YOUR ANSWER WITH THE PASSAGE
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Q 2&Q 3
Q2. 2nd Para , 5th line. • However, is the contrast word which leads to the answer.
Q3. 3 rd Para, • …exclusive principle---the resistance between the molecular… • This is a appositive formation. The hyphen equates the term with the explanation.
Skill 3 Rhetorical structure
Rhetoric is the art of speaking and writing effectively Rhetorical purpose questions are based on examples, descriptions and explanations These type of questions answer to ‘why’ and ‘how’
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Everything Has A Purpose
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Types Of Rhetorical Questions
Type 1- the purpose behind a particular idea (why) Type 2- justifying the use of a structure (how) The correct choice refers to a fact from the passage which is related to the question Watch out for distorted/altered information from the passage 23
Function
Determines the purpose of a phrase or word Understand the rhetorical function of a word a phrase a sentence in relation to the passage
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Q5
‘like’ is a analogy word Cartoon …. This phrase is to create a picture image and to illustrate better
Skill 4 Paraphrasing Questions
Paraphrasing is the restatement of the given idea in new words/new sentence but, the meaning remains true to the original sentence Synonyms , idioms , phrases can help The right choice will have all the ideas present in the highlighted sentence
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Articles & Prepositions
Know your articles, prepositions, adjectives etc or they can trap you Don’t get foxed by repeated words. Look for the context, it may vary
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Prepositions Can Redefine Our Actions
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Q6 Again a appositive formation to guide ‌. nothing can escape‌
Skill-5 Except Questions
Inverse to the detail questions Look for facts or details not mentioned in the passage Scan the passage for key facts facts can be clubbed
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Except Questions
Read the relevant part closely Read the choices closely Watch out for synonyms, paraphrases A clear understanding of grammar helps
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Variations
Small variations can act as distracters The right answer choice is unmentioned in the passage/ inaccurately paraphrased
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Q7 Only B is the correct answer. Not mentioned anywhere. We can go wrong if we go by assumptions or previous knowledge on the topic
Skill- 6 Inference Questions
Infer means to understand unwritten or unstated ideas based on logic and detail But it is derived from written detail Look for information that supports the stated fact
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Implication And Inference
Read the relevant sentence carefully by scanning Focus on the cohesive devices and transitions To imply is to suggest or communicate unstated or unwritten information based on logic and stated detail 35
Two Types Of Inference Questions 1. An effect is cited ,its cause has to be identified 2. If a comparison is made, the question asks for the basis of the comparison Think about the explicit meaning of the author’s words, &the logical implications
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Watch Out For
Logically impossible ideas Restated forms( not related to the question) Distorted facts, sequence, time and place Articles, prepositions and tenses they can alter the meaning
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Words, Become What You What Them To
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Q8 Para 6. 3rd line
The Time it takes to reach‌..
Mass is based on the size.
Skill-7 Referent Questions
Identify the pronoun A pronoun is used in the place of noun, phrase or clause to avoid repetition The neighboring words and sentences are the clues Get a clear picture of what is happening before and after the referent 40
Tip 1
Try to phrase a ‘WH’ question with the referent, to get the right choice. This might work sometimes Replace the referent with the choices & check the meaning
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Tip 2
Check your choice by replacing it with the highlighted word Know the key idea (not the specific word) The right choice will not change the meaning
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Q.9
Which point would mark the end of time itself? singularity Second clue is the punctuation mark , the comma . 43
Skill- 8 Sentence Insertion
These questions are nothing but the reverse of the good old fill in the gap questions A sentence is given 3 to 4 points in a paragraph are marked Figure out the best place for the sentence ;based on the logic given in the sentence 44
Sequence An in-depth understanding of paragraph writing is the key Look for sequence of ideas to get a logical order Usually, a Para has broadly 4 types of sentences— 1.Introductory 2. Body consisting of explanation 3. Examples or illustrations or contradictions 4.The concluding statement
Some paras can be in the form of a description and the different stages in a process. 45
Q10
To what does ‘a few’ refer to? Physicists. Hence, the sequence continues.
Skill-9 Prose Summary
Measures your ability to understand and recognize: The major ideas and important information related to the passage Record Para topics in your notes/outline while skimming (from the beginning) The right choice may have ideas which are combined or paraphrased so, read with an understanding 47
Q 11
Answer choices a,c,f,along with the introductory sentence summarize the complete passage. • b- is a minor point • d-not mentioned • e-inaccurate
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Skill-10 Drag N Drop Table Completion Similar to the summary based questions but they have to be categorized under different headings Understand the question thoroughly All the choices will be mentioned in the passage BUT YOU HAVE TO Pick only the ones which come under the given headings/topics 49
Sum Up
Since these are the final questions, you are expected to have a clear picture of the whole passage
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Get The Reading Bug • A fondness for reading changes the inevitable dull hours of our life into exquisite hours of delight. Charles de Montesquieu
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