READING SKILLS

Key concepts and useful techniques

TOPIC = the person, place, object or idea under discussion READING FOR SPECIFIC INFORMATION (SCANNING) = rapid reading, in order to find a specific type of information This technique applies when we deal with texts abundant in specific details (such as names, dates, places, numbers) The type of questions usually demanding for this technique are Wh-specific information questions: Who? When? Where? Which? What? How? How many? Dont read the entire text word-for-word. Scan the text for specific information numbers, capital letters (for names and places) MAIN IDEA = the essence of each paragraph in a text READING FOR MAIN IDEAS (SKIMMIMG) = reading rapidly for the main points Dont read the entire text word-for-word. Use as many clues as possible to give you background information. Read the titles, subtitles and headings to find out what the text is about. Read the first and last sentence of each paragraph. Dont read every word. As you skim the text, think about the general meaning of the text. GIST = the general idea of an entire text (usu. composed of several paragraphs) READING FOR GIST = reading a passage to get the general idea of what it is about, but not worrying about understanding the complete content of every specific idea READING BETWEEN THE LINES (INFERRING) = reading beyond the explicit ideas, in order to find inferential information. This technique applies when it comes to find information that is not explicitly stated and requires comprehension of the meaning. Usually the questions requesting such information are paraphrases of the information in the text and demand a choice of True/False statements or a selection of one out of four given possible answers.

WHAT IS THE READING ABOUT? Subject discussed/explained/described Dd General but narrowed to exclude what is not discussed

TOPIC
Repeatedly referred to or simply repeated throughout the reading

ONE WORD OR PHRASE

WHAT GENERAL POINT DOES THE AUTHOR WANT TO MAKE ABOUT THIS TOPIC?

Central thought or message

Usually suggested at the beginning

MAIN IDEA
Same idea is repeated in different ways, with different words ONE SENTENCE

Sample of a reading text level 3 STANAG BELIEVE TO ACHIEVE 1. The professor stood before his class of 30 senior molecular biology students, about to pass out their final exam. I have been privileged to be your instructor this semester, and I know how hard you have all worked to prepare for this test. I also know most of you are off to medical school or grad school next fall, he said to them. I am well aware of how much pressure you are under to keep your GPAs up, and because I know you are all capable of understanding this material, I am prepared to offer an automatic B to anyone who would prefer not to take the final. The relief was audible as a number of students jumped up to thank the professor and departed from class. The professor looked at the handful of students who remained and offered again, Any other takers? This is your last opportunity. One more student decided to go. Seven students remained. The professor closed the door and took attendance. Then he handed out the final exam. There were two sentences typed on the paper: Congratulations, you have just received an A in this class. Keep believing in yourself. 2. I never had a professor who gave a test like that. It may seem like the easy way out of grading a bunch of exams, but its a test any teacher in any discipline could and should give. Students who dont have confidence in what theyve learned are B students at best. The same is true for students of real life. The A students are those who believe in what theyre doing because theyve learned from both successes and failures. Theyve absorbed lifes lessons, whether from formal education or the school of hard knocks, and become better people. Those are the people who you look for when youre hiring or promoting, and the ones you keep if youre downsizing. Your organization needs their brand of thinking. 3. Psychologists say that by the age of two, 59% of what we ever believe about ourselves has been formed; by the age of six, 60%; and at eight years, 80%.

Wouldnt you love to have the energy and optimism of a little kid? There is nothing you cant do, learn or be. 4. But youre a big kid now, and you realize you have some limits. Dont let the biggest limit be yourself. Take your cue from Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to reach the summit of Mount Everest: Its not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves. 5. Believing in yourself comes from knowing what you are really capable of doing. When its your turn to step up to the plate, realize you wont hit a homerun every time. Baseball Mickey Mantle struck out more than 1,700 times, but it didnt stop him from excelling at baseball. He believed in himself, and he knew his fans believed in him. 6. Surround yourself with positive people. They know the importance of confidence and will help you keep focused on what you can do, instead of what you cant. Who you surround yourself with is who you become. 7. Never stop learning! I would work this advice into every column if I could; its that important. Dont limit yourself only to work-related classes, either. Learn everything about every subject you can. When you know what youre talking about, it shows. 8. Be very careful not to confuse confidence with a big ego. If you want people to believe in you, you also have to believe in them. Understand well that those around you also have much to contribute, and they deserve your support. Without faith in yourself and others, success is impossible. 9. At the end of a particularly frustrating practice one day, a football coach dismissed his players by yelling, Now all you idiots, go take a shower! All but one player headed toward the locker room. The coach glared at him and asked why he was still there. You told all the idiots to go, sir, the player replied, and there sure seems to be a lot of them. But I am not an idiot. 10. Confident? Yes. And smart enough to coach that team some day. 11. Mackays Moral: Believe in yourself, even when no one else does.

1. Answer the following questions: a. What do you think was the professors aim in giving such a final exam? b. How can people become A students? c. How do you explain Sir Edmund Hillarys words Its not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves? d. Why is it important to surround us with good companions? e. Which is the other element that contributes to ones success? 2. Read the following statements about the text and decide which are true and which are false. a. Several students decided to go for the lower grade. b. The students who took the exam are trustworthy. c. Becoming aware of ourselves may deter us from achieving success. d. Failures in carrying out our activities should not discourage us. e. Being knowledgeable in one field ensures successfulness. 3. Look for the following phrasal verbs in the text. Based on the context, decide which of the given choices a, b, c, or d is the meaning of each phrasal verb. A. be off a. have gone bad/spoiled (food) b. has expired (time) c. start a journey, activity etc d. be involved in. B. hand out a. give something to each member of group b. give something to people who need it c. give someone a punishment officially d. give advice, information, criticism to someone.

C. work something into a. become very angry about something that is not very important b. cleverly include something in a speech, piece of writing c. rub a substance into a surface until disappears completely d. add a substance to another and mix them together thoroughly. D. strike out a. to start doing something new or different b. to hit someone with enough force to make them fall down c. to try to hit someone or something with your hand or a weapon d. to not be successful at something. 4. Match each bolded word/expression in the text with their definition . a. looked at someone/something in an angry way = b. detectable, hearable perceptible = c. difficult, unpleasant experiences you learn from = d. moved into a particular direction = e. the easiest but not the best solution = f. reducing employees to limit costs = g. use someone elses behavior as example = h. hit in baseball which gets the player a point = 5. Do you agree with the moral of the article: Believe in yourself, even when no one else does.? Write a three-paragraph composition to express your opinion about this statement. Use at least 6 of the words/expressions and phrasal verbs in the exercises above. Use reasons, arguments and personal experience to support your opinion. Write 300-500 words.