Reading a text can be a wonderful experience for avid readers. But if an adult with lack of enthusiasm for reading is placed in a situation wherein he or she needs to read a text, comprehend it and then respond to the same, it is definitely not so convenient.
IELTS (International English Language Testing System) requires the test taker to complete three such long passages (1500 to 2000 words), comprising of 40 questions, in a time span of 60 minutes. Now, that’s a task that definitely needs more than just Language skills. It encompasses certain tactics, skills, perseverance, smart thinking and above all a clarity on how to manage time properly.
The passages provided are from varied fields, ranging from sports, education, fashion to communication. Thus the golden rule is to be prepared with these topics in advance. In this era of mass media and various other sources of information we can enhance our knowledge on different domains apart from their own via various channels such as the internet, tv, news, newspapers, magazines, audio clips etc. The prerogative is to improve upon the vocabulary related to these domains.
The main task at hand while attempting the reading comprehension questions in IELTS is to connect the information given in the question statement with the idea presented by the writer in the written context. The statements provided as questions are paraphrased and thus the individual needs to look for the same context from the passage and not the same words. The candidate must identify the key information on the question statement. It might be a name, date, a term, a value or even some behavioural or physical aspects of a person / object. Thus the person can predict, but must be mindful that they cannot over predict, infer or think beyond the information provided in the passage.
Next is reading through the long passages in the stipulated time. For this, there are two methods which reduce reading time. The first is known as skimming, wherein the person reads through the text quickly to get an overview of the text (four to five words per line). Please note that it is imperative to read through all the lines and not skip any line. Remember, each line contains crucial information and leaving any part would result in oversight errors. The second method used is known as scanning – a method of collating the key words from the text (one must be sure to only compile key words which are integral for the question). By using the mentioned skills, the individual can save both time and energy to respond to the questions simultaneously.
On the other hand, there would be sentences in the passage which would have unfamiliar words. To tackle these, it is advised to first read through the sentence within which the word is given and find their nearest meaning. Even with respect to the question statement, it is always better to simplify the words that could hinder your understanding by writing down their synonyms to make it simple.
At Reknown Edu Services, we are dedicated towards enhancing these skills in an individual using innovative measures, providing information on key pointers to be concentrated on, which not only aids in better understanding the mentioned elements in Reading, but also inculcate confidence in the person. The candidates need to work upon them as advised, which in turn creates an excellent base upon which they can effortlessly respond to the questions asked, while saving his or her time and energy. The mantra is to work smart and not dwell upon unnecessary details.