How to Handle Tricky Questions in the OET Reading Part A OET Reading Sub-test Part A The OET Reading Sub-test Part A is an “expeditious reading� task. It means that you must find specific information from four short texts quickly and efficiently. These four short texts are related to a single healthcare topic, and you have to answer 20 questions in 15 minutes. The 20 items consist of matching, sentence completion, and short answer questions.
Do you want to ace this reading task? Honing your OET exam preparation is the main key to achieving an A grade in the reading test. If you want to accomplish this, seek various test-taking
strategies and study tips that can help boost your exam preparation. For instance, check out these practical tips on how to handle difficult questions in the OET Reading Sub-test Part A.
Tricky Questions in the OET Reading Part A Since the OET Reading Part A contains 20 questions, some of them are quite challenging and might inhibit your chances of acing the exam. To help you overcome this, here are the things you need to consider when answering tricky questions:
1. Some of the passages and questions almost look identical. Here is an example:
Passage:
“Screening mammograms are the best method for detecting the early stages of
breast cancer.”
Question:
The ideal method for detecting the early stages of breast cancer is ______.
Notice that the only difference in these two sentences is the word order. However, if you answer “Screening mammograms,” you’re definitely wrong. Pay close attention to the verb used before the gap. The verb “is” refers to the singular form and therefore the answer should be “screening mammogram.”
2. Some questions will challenge your knowledge about acronyms. Here is an example:
Passage:
The lowest death rate for healthy women who had never smoked was at the high end
of the ideal BMI range—between 22.5 and 24.9.
Question:
Healthy women with an ideal ________ index between 22.5 and 24.9 have the lowest
death rate.
Although the question simply asks you to give the meaning of BM in BMI, it is still essential that you are aware of the acronyms used in the healthcare industry. During your OET classes, study the common acronyms used in the reading test.
3. Fractions and percentages are also included in the reading test. Here is an example:
Passage:
In 2016, a recent medical study reported that 10% of people in the US have heart
disease.
Question:
According to the recent medical study, ___ out of 5 Americans are suffering from
heart disease.
Since you are not allowed to bring mobile phones and calculators during the test, you must learn how to convert percentages into fractions. In the example, 10% is 1/10 or 1/5, so the answer is 1 out of 5.
For more OET exam preparation tips and test-taking strategies, visit the nearest JRooz OET Review Center and check out our blog today!