Skimming and Scanning

Skimming

• Quickly running one’s eyes across a whole text to get the gist (the gist is the main idea or point of a text). It gives readers the advantage of being able to predict the purpose of the passage or the main topic.

How do we do it?

• Look for key words• In textbooks these will often be bolded or italicized. By picking up on these

words you should get a sense of what the text is talking about

• Read Titles• Titles of articles or subheadings will tell you what an entire passage is talking

about, and it may even tell you if you have to read the passage at all.

• Don’t read every word• Skimming is all about running your eyes down a page to get general

information quickly. This is most helpful when re-reading a passage from a book or article, or getting a general sense of the information on your first read through

Hebdo Article - Skimming

On Wednesday January 7, three masked gunmen stormed the Paris office of French magazine Charlie Hebdo. The gunmen killed at least 12 people, including two police officers, before escaping in cars. This wasn't the first time that Charlie Hebdo was attacked; it was fire-bombed in 2011 after printing caricatures of Prophet Muhammad, but there were no fatalities.

Later on Wednesday, the magazine's homepage reflected a completely black screen with the phrase "Je suis Charlie," or "I am Charlie," written in white. The phrase quickly became a show of support and solace for those who lost their lives.

Scanning

• Quickly searching for some particular pieces of information in a text. Scanning exercises may ask you to look for names or dates, to find a definition of a key concept, or to list a certain number of supporting details. The purpose of it is to extract certain specific information without reading through the whole text.

How do we do it?

• Read the question first• If you’re using scanning, most of the time it’s because you’re trying to answer

a question. Read the question first and then look for the key word or detail

• Take note of names and dates• Some of the most important information for non-fiction items will be names

of people, places, or events and the date something happened or will happen

Charlie Hebdo – Scanning

• Answer the following questions in 1 minute:1. How many gunmen went to Charlie Hebdo?2. How many people were killed?3. When did it happen?4. Why were they attacked before?5. What television channel leaked emails?6. Who published the emails?

Context Clues

Context Clues

• Context clues can help you figure out the meaning of a word or phrase you don't know. These clues can be found in the words and sentences surrounding the unknown word or phrase. There are many kinds of context clues readers can look for when trying to figure out unfamiliar text.

Synonyms as Context Clues 

• It was an idyllic day; sunny, warm and perfect for a walk in the park.• She hums continuously, or all the time, and it annoys me.• The dates are listed in chronological order. They start at the beginning

and end with the last event.• Her animosity, or hatred, of her sister had divided the family.• Bill felt remorse, or shame, for his harsh words.• This situation is a conundrum - a puzzle.

Antonyms as Context Clues

• There is great prosperity in the country but many citizens are living in poverty.• Emma had a lot of anxiety about the exam but I had no worries about

it.• Marty is gregarious, not like his brother who is quiet and shy.• She is a famous singing star in her country but unknown to the rest of

the world.• I am willing to hike in the mountains, but he is reluctant because it

gets so cold walking up and down the trails.

Definitions as Context Clues

• Some celestial bodies, such as the planets and stars, can be seen with the naked eye.• The manager wanted a weekly inspection, which is a methodical

examination of all the equipment.• There was a lot of tangible evidence, including fingerprints and DNA,

to prove them guilty.• There is a 30 percent chance of precipitation, such as snow or sleet.• Avoiding the accident was futile. Both cars did not have time to stop

before crashing.

Explanations as Context Clues

• The team was elated when they won the trophy.• During the demonstration, a skirmish broke out and the police were

called to restore order.• The cat has a kind disposition and would never bite or claw anyone.• His constant questioning of my remarks made him a nuisance.• Something in the refrigerator has a putrid odor; the smell was rotten

when we opened the door.• He winced in pain when he hit his thumb with the hammer.

Comparisons as Context Clues

• Diane was lethargic and didn’t have the energy to get out of bed.• The greatest trip I ever took was my expedition to Africa.• Eating nutritious food is just as important as regular exercise.• I am determined to graduate with honor and my friend is just as

resolute.• Sometimes he is perplexed by Sudoku puzzles, but others find them

much easier to solve than a crossword puzzle.

Contrasts as Context Clues

• The picture of the landscape is picturesque but the one of the old house is ugly.• The feral cat would not let us pet him, unlike our tame cat.• Cold weather soon replaced the sweltering heat of summer.• The hero was virtuous, not like the evil villain.• The winner of the gold medal was omnipotent against his weaker

opponents.

Main Idea

• While the main idea is usually in the first sentence, the next most common placement is in the last sentence of a paragraph. The author gives supporting information first and then makes the point in the last sentence. Here's a paragraph we can use as an example. Try to locate the topic and the main idea.

Summarize the Passage

• After you've read the passage, summarize it in one sentence that includes the gist of ever idea from the paragraph. A good way to do this is to pretend you have just ten words to tell someone what the passage was about. You'd have to think broadly, so you could included every detail in just a short statement.

Look for Repetition of Ideas

• If you read through a paragraph and you have no idea how to summarize it because there is so much information, start looking for repeated words, phrases, ideas or similar ideas. Read this example paragraph:

• A new hearing device uses a magnet to hold the detachable sound-processing portion in place. Like other aids, it converts sound into vibrations. But it is unique in that it can transmit the vibrations directly to the magnet and then to the inner ear. This produces a clearer sound. The new device will not help all hearing-impaired people - only those with a hearing loss caused by infection or some other problem in the middle ear. It will probably help no more than 20 percent of all people with hearing problems. Those people who have persistent ear infections, however, should find relief and restored hearing with the new device.

• What idea does this paragraph consistently repeat? A new hearing device. What's the point about this idea? A new hearing device is now available for some hearing-impaired people. And there is the main idea.

Avoiding Main Idea Mistakes

Main Idea Mistake #1: Choosing an Answer That's Too Narrow• Let's say you read a passage about Leonardo da Vinci's genius. Several

paragraphs talk about his sculpting, charcoal drawings, and paintings. Other paragraphs mention his science skills and foresight into mechanical engineering. If you select an answer that only details his sculpting, drawings and paintings, then your choice is too narrow: it only uses part of the information from the passage.• How to Avoid the "Too Narrow" Mistake: Be sure to choose an

answer that encompasses every major idea in the passage, not just a few.

Main Idea Mistake #2: Choosing an Answer That's Too Broad• Suppose the next passage you read on your test is a summary of a Blue

Angels' performance last May. The passage explains the maneuvers, tricks and near-misses that happened that day. It showcases the daredevil approach of the newest pilot on the team, and congratulates the veterans on their mastery of the techniques that woo the crowd. If you select an answer that mentions how to become a Blue Angel, then your choice is too broad: it goes beyond the scope of the passage and gives information not discussed.• How to Avoid the "Too Broad" Mistake: Choose an answer that doesn't

step outside the passage. If you can't find the idea or infer the idea from the info in the passage itself, then it is not the correct choice.

Main Idea Mistake #3: Choosing an Answer That's Complex, But Opposite

• The third passage you read on your exam argues that the haiku is a better poetic form than the tanka. The author explains each ancient Chinese poetic form and describes how the tanka has changed throughout centuries to fit into a modern-day approach, while the haiku has remained intact, which is more noble. While explaining the length of lines, syllables, and format required, the author gives poems from each to demonstrate how superior the haiku is over the tanka. Be careful not to select an answer that sounds really good, because of the length of lines and similarity to the passage, but actually states that the tanka is better than the haiku! Writer's often slip the opposite meaning into an answer choice to check your reading comprehension.

• How to Avoid the "Complex, But Opposite" Mistake: Read the answer choices carefully. Do NOT choose an answer because it merely "sounds" right. Put the answer choices in your own words so you can dissect the meaning better. You must choose the choice that actually reflects the main idea, not the opposite.

Tips to Improve Your ACT Scores

Correct These 5 Mistakes To Improve Your ACT English Score

Mistake #1: Misjudging Paragraphs• The Problem: The ACT English test is a little strange; the paragraphs are all broken

up so that the questions on the right side of the page are straight across from the text the questions refer to on the left side of the page. Perhaps when you took the ACT English section the first time around, you misjudged where the paragraphs started and ended. This is a BIG mistake, because you can certainly miss points on questions that refer to a specific paragraph if you're leaving out a sentence or two.• The Solution: Pay close attention to indentations that indicate the next paragraph

has started. The best way to avoid this issue altogether is to go through the text and draw a line in between paragraphs (for the passages that aren't marked already). Then, you'll be better able to see the paragraphs in their entirety and your ACT score will improve because you'll answer questions more accurately!

Mistake #2: Answering Question In Order• The Problem: When you first started on the ACT English test, you opened the

booklet and answered question 1. Then, you moved on to questions 2, 3, 4 and so on in order. When you got to the end of the test, you had to hurry because you only had a few minutes (but a bunch of question) left! You randomly guessed on the last 10 questions, and you didn't even have time to check anything.

• The Solution: The ACT English test has difficult questions and easy questions. Neither is worth more points than the other. It's true! A simple Usage/Mechanics question (like a comma question or subject verb agreement question) will earn you exactly the same amount of points as a Rhetorical Skills question (like figuring out what a paragraph would lose if you took out a sentence). Therefore, it makes sense to go through each passage individually, answering the easy questions first. Then, when you get to the end of the passage, go back through and answer the difficult questions.

Mistake #3: Taking Too Long To Answer• The Problem: Because you like to take your time and think things through, you

spent roughly 45 seconds or so on each English question. When you got to the end of the test, you still had a ton of questions left because you took too long. You had to guess, even on the easy ones because you didn't have time to read anything.• The Solution: It's simple math. On the ACT English test, you must answer 75

questions in 45 minutes. That means, that you have 36 seconds or less to spend on each question; that's it. If you answered the questions in 45 seconds, you'd need roughly 56 minutes to take the entire test, which is about 11 extra minutes. You're not going to get that time. Use an ACT strategy like practicing taking the English test in a timed setting. Figure out how long you're spending on the easy questions and the difficult ones, and try to find ways to shave time off of the easy ones so you're not stuck when you need more than 36 seconds for a tough one!

Mistake #4: Not Choosing "NO CHANGE"• The Problem: When you took the English portion of the ACT, "NO

CHANGE" popped up frequently as the first answer choice, which means that the underlined portion in the text was accurate just the way it was. Most of the time, you chose another answer because you assumed that the ACT was trying to trick you into thinking the underlined part was right.• The Solution: You need to consider the "NO CHANGE" option every time

you evaluate a question. Not every apple has a worm in it! Historically, the ACT test-takers have included between 15 – 18 questions that are correct just as they are in the text. If you never choose the "NO CHANGE" option, then there's a good chance you're getting the answer wrong! Think about it every single time, and rule out the other answer choices if you can.

Mistake #5: Creating a New Error• The Problem: You read through the question, read the text, and decided on an

answer choice right away. Since the underlined portion of the text had a comma in it, you figured the question was testing your comma knowledge. Choice B had correct comma usage, so it was the right answer! Wrong! Sure, Choice B fixed the comma error, but the last part of the sentence was not parallel to the first, creating a new error. Choice C fixed both parts, and you didn't pay attention.• The Solution: The ACT English test likes to test more than one skill at a time on

some questions, especially the ones with longer answer choices. If you come across a question that seems pretty straightforward and want to improve your score this time around, be sure to read each answer choice carefully. If the question is not 100 per cent right, it is 100 per cent wrong. Cross it off. The ACT test-makers will always provide an answer that is accurate in every way. If you see a new error, don't choose it!

Top 5 ACT Reading Strategies

ACT Reading Strategy 1: Time Yourself• You will not be able to have your cell phone during the test, so bring a

watch that has a silent timer, silent being the key word. Since you'll be answering 40 questions in 35 minutes (and reading the passages that go along with them) you'll need to pace yourself. Some students who take the ACT Reading test have reported only being able to finish two of the four passages because they took too long to read and answer. Keep an eye on that watch!

ACT Reading Strategy 2: Read The Easiest Passage First• The four ACT Reading passages will always be arranged in this set

order: Prose Fiction, Social Science, Humanities, and Natural Science. However, this doesn't mean that you have to read the passages in that order. Choose the passage that's easiest to read first. For instance, if you happen to like stories, then go with Prose Fiction. If you're a little morescientific-minded, then choose Natural Science. You'll have an easier time answering questions about a passage that interests you, and doing something right builds your confidence and sets up you for success in the next passages. Success always equals a higher score!

ACT Reading Strategy 3: Underline and Summarize• When you're reading the passages, be sure to quickly underline

important nouns and verbs as you read and jot down a brief summary of each paragraph (as in two-three words) in the margin. Underlining important nouns and verbs not only helps you remember what you've read, it also gives you a specific place to refer to when you're answering the questions. Summarizing is key to understanding the passages in their entirety. Plus, it allows you to answer those "What was the main idea of paragraph 1?" types of questions in a flash.

ACT Reading Strategy 4: Cover The Answers• If you've gotten the gist of the passage, then rely on your memory a

little bit and cover up the answers to the questions when you read them. Why? You may just come up with the right answer to the question and can find the match inside the answer choices. Since ACT writers include tricky answer choices to test your reading comprehension (a.k.a. "distractors"), the wrong answer choices can often trip you up. If you've thought of the correct answer in your head before reading them through, you'll have a higher likelihood of guessing correctly.

ACT Reading Strategy 5: Review The Reading Basics• You will be tested on whether or not you can find the main idea,

understand vocabulary in context, detect the author's purpose, and make an inference. You'll also need to be able to quickly and accurately find details inside the paragraphs, kind of like a word search! So, before you take the ACT Reading test, be sure to review and practice those reading concepts. You'll be glad you did!