Read and Read
Try to read as much as you can so as to diversify your knowledge and get more familiar with general academic topics. The texts are generically picked up from the academic sources. Read more of textbooks and specialized magazines and journals so that you are well acquainted with the usage of language and structure. Some of the valuable sources for such academic texts are- National Geographic, The Economist and The New Scientist.
Skimming and Scanning
In order to gain more accuracy in your answering, adopt a more skillful approach while reading. Just skim through the text completely. It means that get an overview of all the paragraphs as well as the theme of the passage by not going intrinsic on the unimportant prepositions and difficult words while reading through it. Another effective technique is scanning which means to locate the required details just by moving your eyes quickly over it and not undergoing the absorbed reading. Be multidirectional when you scan; go right to left, left to right , top to bottom, bottom to top. An easy way is to look for indicators in numbers, capital words, place names etc.
Read Before You Answer
Concentrate on the text first and then the questions! It is important to gather a good understanding so as to deliver the answers effectively.
Getting Versed with Paragraphs
Learn to identify the paragraph structure which means to categorize the main idea so as with the subordinating ideas. The structure generally follows a descending pattern wherein the main idea is in the beginning and then comes the additional information. However, this stands to exception in the first and last paragraph where the main idea is located towards the end.
Similar Phrases
Learn to recognize the phrases which are parallel and hold the same meaning. There can be different expressions which work on similar lines, for example- ‘I like to dance’ and ‘dancing is enjoyable’ are relative. Many questions such as YES NO NOT GIVEN test you on the basis of your ability to understand such phrases with like meanings.
Smart Way
Do not be perturbed with the difficult vocabulary or any unknown word that you come across. The texts are enumerated in such a way that tough words will be a part of the description. Skip the complicated words which are as such not required while assessing the answers. The words which are mandatory for understanding should be guessed with the help of the text or the sentence or even the word forms i.e. noun or verb that corresponds along.
Plan Well With Time
Time management is the most essential element in the reading section. Students generally fall short of time by the time they reach the last passage and are not able to complete the module. Roughly allocate 20 minutes on each passage so as to approach each passage with a good time span. Do not get stuck on one question – try guessing the answer or come back later. Tackle the questions that you are confident first so as to leave you with good time to sort out the tricky ones.
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