reading comprehension practice

Reading for Comprehension Practice

Reading is one of the best ways to acquire new vocabulary and learn grammar structures.

When reading, it engages the imagination. It is like having motion pictures in your mind. With this, details are printed deeply in memory that retention and recall may be long term, and comprehension may be achieved. Frequent and thorough reading are best in attaining overall linguistic competence. However, quick reading is necessary as tests and exams are time restrained.

Reading for Comprehension Techniques

  1. Quickly SKIM for NOUNS, VERBS, and ADJECTIVES
    • use this when you are reading for gist
  2. SCAN for details like NAMES, DATES, DAYS, NUMBERS, etc…
    • use this when you are reading for details

Two reading skills related to quick reading are skimming and scanning.

Skimming is a reading technique used when you want to quickly get the gist or idea of a text, thus reading for gist. Skimming refers to a quick browse of the entire text, paying more attention to the content words – like nouns, verbs, and adjectives, as they provide meaning. In this manner, you are able to get the ideas or messages the writer is trying to convey quickly.

Example: Rescue teams were slow to respond and poorly equipped.

Scanning is another technique related to quick reading. It is used when reading for details. Here, readers scan the text for more specific information such as, names, time, date, day, percent, and other specific data in the text.

Example:

On 15 November 2022, the world’s population reached 8 billion people, a milestone in human development. While it took the global population 12 years to grow from 7 to 8 billion, it will take approximately 15 years—until 2037— for it to reach 9 billion, a sign that the overall growth rate of the global population is slowing. 

Reading for Overall Linguistic Competence Techniques

  1. Read frequently
  2. Pay attention to new words and grammar structures
  3. Immediately use new words in a sentence or in conversation
  4. Test your comprehension by answering guide questions if available

READING EXERCISES: Click the link below. Read the texts and answer the guide questions after.

  1. Past stories
  2. Announcements
  3. Article 1 – Mobile Phones
  4. Article 2 – Vaccination

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