Reading strategies

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 3

Reading

Reading strategies

What reading strategies do you know?

Is it useful/necessary to read the entire text during a reading test?

1. yes
2. no

Text #1:
Find the word

 'enema'. Raise your hand when you find it.

1 One hot evening in Padua they carried him up onto the roof and he could look out over the top 2 of the town. There were chimney swifts in the sky. After a while it got dark and the searchlights 3 came out. The others went down and took the bottles with them. He and Luz could hear them  4 below on the balcony. Luz sat on the bed. She was cool and fresh in the hot night.

5 Luz stayed on night duty for three months. They were glad to let her. When they operated on 

6 him she prepared him for the operating table; and they had a joke about friend or enema. He  

7 went under the anaesthetic holding tight on to himself so he would not blab about anything  

8 during the silly, talky time. After he got on crutches he used to take the temperatures so Luz    9 would not have to get up from the bed. There were only a few patients, and they all knew about 10 it. They all liked Luz. As he walked back along the halls he thought of Luz in his bed.

Text #1:
Find the word

 'enema'. Raise your hand when you find it.

1 One hot evening in Padua they carried him up onto the roof and he could look out over the top 2 of the town. There were chimney swifts in the sky. After a while it got dark and the searchlights 3 came out. The others went down and took the bottles with them. He and Luz could hear them  4 below on the balcony. Luz sat on the bed. She was cool and fresh in the hot night.

5 Luz stayed on night duty for three months. They were glad to let her. When they operated on 

6 him she prepared him for the operating table; and they had a joke about friend or enema. He  

7 went under the anaesthetic holding tight on to himself so he would not blab about anything  

8 during the silly, talky time. After he got on crutches he used to take the temperatures so Luz    9 would not have to get up from the bed. There were only a few patients, and they all knew about 10 it. They all liked Luz. As he walked back along the halls he thought of Luz in his bed.

When reading text 1, which strategy do think you used?

1. skimming
2. scanning

You used: Scanning

You scan a text to look for detailed information hidden in the text

How to scan: 

- Know what information you are looking for (so see the question first)

- Move your eyes through the text quickly

Text 2: What could the title of the text be?

I am new to the city. I do not know anyone. But an old woman lives next door. Her name is Val. She gives me a big box of vegetables.

She grows them in a garden by the sidewalk. There are carrots, tomatoes, beans, and peas. They are the best vegetables I ever ate. Val lives alone, too. But she seems happy in her garden. She loves plants. Sometimes, I can hear her talking to them. Maybe that is why they grow so big.

One day, I stop seeing Val in the garden. I see people take many boxes from her home. Weeds grow in her garden. The dirt is dry. The plants look sad. Val must have passed on.

So I pull the weeds. I water the garden. I even talk to the plants.

Then a family moves next door. They are new to the city. They do not know anyone. And I give them a big box of vegetables from Val’s garden.

Title: Val's garden. My neighbour Val...

When reading text 2, which strategy do you think you used?

1. skimming
2. scanning

You used skimming

You skim a text to get a general idea of what the text is about.

How to skim:

- Look at the title, subheadings, pictures and read the first an last lines of the paragraph

Why should you skim?

- To save time and to orientate yourself what the text is about

Detailed Reading Strategy

• Skim a text: Look at title - subheadings - pictures. You use this technique to quickly find out about general idea of the text.
• Scan a text: Look at, for example, names, data, numbers (depends on the question). You use this technique to find specific information.
• Detailed reading: Read each and every word. You use this technique when a question refers to a specific paragraph (alinea).

Step-by-step plan

1.  Exploring a text -> What is it about?

1. DO NOT READ THE ENTIRE TEXT! 

2. Look at the title, captions, pictures, words in bold and italics  3. Activate your own knowledge

4. Read the question: Do you have to be in a specific paragraph? 

5. What kind of question is it? 

Kind of questions

- Multiple choice question

- Open question

- Gap question

- Statement question

What question is the most difficult?

Multiple choice

Step-by-step

1. Read the question. Not the answers! Any useful information? 

2. In the example you can see that you have to look at paragraph 1. Read paragraph 1, nothing more! Mark signal words.

3. Try to answer the question for yourself,

4, Now read the answers. 

5. Which ones are nonsense?  Cross them through.

6. Choose your answer

Signal words:

 

• Reden / Oorzaak    (As-because-for-since)
  

• Tegenstelling        (although – besides – but – however- still - yet)
• Doel            (in order to – so that – to)
• Voorwaarde        (if (only) – provided – unless)
• Tijd            (after–as–before–meanwhile–once –since,)
• Gevolg            (after all-as a result-consequently-)
• Uitbreiding        (and–besides-too-also-even-in addition,)
• Vergelijking     (as well as-for example-likewise-similarly,)

Signaal woorden uit je hoofd leren en hun betekenis en doel = beter tekstbegrip.

(zie tekst 6 pagina 9 vraag 10 en 14)

How does the writer introduce the phenomenon ''Slow TV'' in paragraph 1? By describing what it is and...

1. explaining why so many people like it.
2. Giving examples that prove its popularity.
3. Persuading readers to also watch it.
4. Stressing that it is an innovative programme.

Explanation

1. Signal words: The first instance, its sequel, since then, and. 

A vraagt om een explanation (reden/oorzaak) maar er staat nergens because, as, for etc. A valt dus af.

C gaat over persuading (overtuigen). Er staat nergens aan overtuiging. C valt af.

D gaat over een innovative programme. Ook dat is niet te vinden in de tekst. D valt at

How did Alexander Beck become a model?
A scout approached him...

1. after having watched Alexander working in a restaurant.
2. after he had seen Alexander walking in the streets.
3. when Alexander paraded around in fashion hotspots.
4. when he had seen snapshots Alexander had sent to an agency.

Explanation

1. Signaal woord: When 

Answer A involves a restaurant. Restaurant is not mentioned.

Answer C involves fashion hotspots. Fashion hospots aren't mentioned.

Answer D mentions snapshots. Snapshots haven't been mentioned. 

What is this text about? How do you know?

How do you know what a text is about?

• Look at the title. What does it tell you?
• Look at the pictures (if there are any).
• Are there any headers (tussenkopjes), or words in bold or italics? Those might help you!
• Look at the questions. Do they have any information about the text?
  

Signal words

For the next two exercises, drag the signal words to the correct category

ADDITION

COMPARISON

CONTRAST

and

additionally

also

in addition

plus

similarly

likewise

in the same way

too

in common

but

although

however

nevertheless

on the contrary

on the other hand

furthermore

ADDITION

• and
• as well as
• additionally
• along with
• also
• furthermore
• besides
• on top of that
• in addition
• to add to that
• plus
• moreover
  

COMPARISON

• similarly
• likewise
• in the same way
• as well
• too
• in common
• equally
  

CONTRAST

• but
• although
• though
  
• however
• in contrast
• on the contrary
• on the other hand
• nevertheless
• yet
• despite
  

EXPLANATION

• because
• since
• for
• as
  

TIME

EXAMPLE

CONCLUSION/
CONSEQUENCE

currently

while

now

next

at first

later

for example

for instance

such as

to illustrate

to show

so

as a result

consequently

thus

therefore

that's why

hence

TIME

• currently
• now
• initially
  
• next
• later
• at first
• (mean)while
• earlier
• in the past
• once
• after
• until
  

EXAMPLE

• for instance
• for example
• such as
• to show
• to illustrate
  

SUMMARY

• to sum up
• in short
• in brief
• in summary
  

CONCLUSION/

CONSEQUENCE

• so
• consequently
• that's why
• as a result
• therefore
• thus
• hence
• as a consequence
  

Signal words

For the next exercise, pick the signal word that fits the gap.

I set the alarm for 6:30 _____ I wouldn't miss the train.

1. because
2. so
3. until
4. while

He didn't come in until past midnight ____ he promised he would be home by 9PM.

1. because
2. since
3. so that
4. although

He decided to buy a new car ____ losing his job last month.

1. since
2. despite
3. while
4. hence

She got the job ____ she had very little experience.

1. thus
2. moreover
3. therefore
4. although

The student's essay was badly written. ____, it was too short.

1. however
2. despite
3. moreover
4. on the other hand