Reading Task strategies:

Don’t leave any answer blank, as there is no negative marking. Please divide your time for each passage, keep an eye on the clock. Try to use capital letters. Important, transfer your answers as soon as you find them. Don’t wait for the end of test to transfer, there are chances you will make mistake under pressure, or simply panic.

Headings:

Always read the paragraph first.

Really important, always read the paragraph first.

Then, try to understand what the writer is trying to say.

If possible, go for the main idea.

In many cases, students are not able to find the gist or main idea. Don’t worry.

Just go for the points that you understand.

Mark them, so that you can remember them.

Now, move to the headings in the question.

Try to relate the points or gist you have got.

If you get only one option, great.

Otherwise, write all the options that seem appropriate to you in front of the paragraph.

Later, when all the paragraphs will be done, you can take the odd/wrong options out.

In a scenario, if you are not able to rule out multiple options by the end of all the paragraphs, do the guess work.

Here, please pick the option that is being talked about more in the paragraph.

Hope, this will help.

Happy finding of the headings.

Paragraph containing information:

Follow the same procedure as Headings, given above.

Simple. 😊

True/False/Not Given or Yes/No/Not Given:

Always read the question first.

Saying it again, always read the question first.

Please understand the question fully, or at least as much as possible.

You can even translate it in your own language, in mind.

Spend more time on questions, and you will get a better score in reading.

Now, mark the key words so that you can search the location in the passage.

Important point to note here, key words are to find the location, not the answers.

Go to the passage, skim it (read the passage at a higher speed). When you hit the location, scan. Scanning means try to get the meaning. Now, compare the meaning of passage and question.

If the meaning is same, true. If there is contrast, false. In case of doubt, it is not given.

Good thing here is that, usually (not always) answers are in serial order.

Match the people/place/things:

Here, just look at the question and understand what are they looking for (like name of people, cities or cars).

Go to the passage, just circle all the options that can fit (for example, scientist name or authors name). This will help us in saving the time.

Otherwise, if we spend time or energy in searching the options that are given in question, we will lose the precious time.

Once, all the options are circled or marked, go to the question.

Now, pick the option given in question, search it in the options circled by you.

Here, read this part carefully and then try to match the answer, by keeping the meaning of the question and passage in mind.

This strategy will save your precious time.

Usually, such questions are easier to find as the technique is simple.

Only error one can do, and students usually do, is to focus more on the question statement and try to justify that, even if it is not a match.

Don’t match the words, please match the meaning. Your life would be easier.

Complete the ending:

In this question, there are multiple incomplete sentences. Also, there are many options and you are supposed to pick the appropriate one for each question.

Here, again, read the question first.

Try to understand, as much as possible.

Mark the keywords to find the location.

Go to the passage, find location.

Now, read that part carefully, understand the meaning.

Once done, look at the options and match them.

Try to avoid reading the options first, as it may confuse you.

If you find multiple options correct, try to eliminate them by doing other part of this question.

In the end, if you still have more options than 1 for any statement, go for the option that is talked more.

They may not be in the sequence.

Gap fills or Fill in the blanks:

Considered as the easiest by many students and, that is the reason why, many students for these questions first.

Always read the question first. Try to understand what is being asked. Also, you can try to find what will fit in the answer. Like, is it a noun, adjective, or an adverb? Whether, a singular option or a plural option. This will narrow down your search.

Mark the key words, find the location using skim method.

Once you are on the location, please try to match the meaning. Don’t just put the answer, make sure it fits grammatically. At times, you are supposed to change the word form (noun to adjective or adjective to noun).

Again, good thing, these answers are mostly (not always) in sequence.

One type of gap fills is the word bank, here you are supposed to pick the synonym from the options given. Do the same process as gap fill, then pick the synonym for your answer.

Multiple choice question:

Always read the question first, understand, and then find the key words. One strategy (which I recommend) could be not to read the options, as more often than not, they confuse you.

Locate the answer location, understand what is being said. Now, compare it with the options.

Two options will always confuse, if you go for words. Once, you read the question attentively, this problem can be solved. As, mostly, questions are specific and only one option fits fully.

One word, two word or three words answers:

These are information seeking questions with a specific word limit. Easier to find as you are only supposed to locate the number or words. Here, be careful about the word limit, as that can eat your score.