Trung tâm Luyện thi Amax – 39 LK 6A Làng Việt Kiều Châu Âu

CHUYÊN ĐỀ 22

KỸ NĂNG ĐỌC (READING SKILLS)

A. CLOZE TESTS

A cloze test consists a text passage with some certain word removed (cloze text), test
taker must replace the missing words from the given options. Usually students are given four
choices. One choice is the best answer. The second is almost as good. The third is off the
point. The fourth is the opposite of the correct answer.

• First, slowly read all the text without filling any of the gaps. Read it two or three times until
you have a clear understanding of what the text is about.

• Then only complete the gaps you are absolutely sure of.

• Next try and find out what the missing words in the remaining gaps are. See which part of
speech may fit in each gap (article?, pronoun?, noun?, adverb?, adjective?, preposition?,
conjunction?, verb?) and pay special attention to the grammar around the words in each gap.

Many of the gaps may include the following:

- preposition following a noun, adjective or verb. (Example: good at languages)

- prepositional phrase. (Example: in spite of )

- adverb. ( Example: He moved to London two years ago )

- connector. (Example: First, he arrives; then he sits down; finally, he leaves.)

- conjunction. (Example: Although he is five, he can speak five languages.

- auxiliary verb . (Example: He has won 2 matches)

- an article or some other kind of determiner. (Example: I have no time)

- a relative . (Example: Bob, who I met two years ago, is my best friend)

- a pronoun , either subject or object. (Example : it is difficult to know)

- is there a comparative or superlative involved? (Example: she's taller than me)

• Some sentences may seem to be complete and contain gaps that appear to be unnecessary. If
you find gaps like this, you will probably need the following:

- an adverb. (Example: He is always late)

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- a modal verb . (Example: They can swim very well)

- a word to change the emphasis of the sentence: She's good enough to be queen

- The problems are too difficult

• A few gaps may demand a vocabulary item consistent with the topic of the text; or a word
which is part of an idiomatic expression (example: Good heavens!); or a word which collocates
with another one (example: do a job); or a word which is part of a phrasal verb (example: I was
held up by traffic).

SKILL I: ANSWER MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS CORRECTLY

MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE What is the topic of the passage?
QUESTION
What is the subject of the passage?

What is the main idea of the passage?

What is the author’s main point in the passage?

With what is the author primarily concerned?

Which of the following would be the best title?

WHERE TO FIND THE The answers to this type of question can generally be
ANSWER determined by looking at the first sentence of each paragraph.

HOW TO ANSWER THE 1. Read the first line of each paragraph.

QUESTION 2. Look for a common theme or idea in the first lines.
3. Pass your eyes quickly over the rest of the passage to
check that you have really found the topic sentence(s).
4. Eliminate any definitely wrong answers and choose the
best answer from the remaining choices.

SKILL 2: RECOGNIZE THE ORGANIZATION OF IDEAS

ORGANIZATION OF IDEAS
HOW TO IDENTIFY THE How is the information in the passage organized?
QUESTION How is the information in the second paragraph related to
the information in the first paragraph?

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WHERE TO FIND THE The answer to this type of question can generally be
ANSWER determined by looking at the first sentence of the
appropriate paragraphs
HOW TO ANSWER THE 1. Read the first line of each paragraph
QUESTION 2. Look for words that show the relationship between
the paragraphsp
3. Choose the answer that best expresses the
relationship

SKILL 3: ANSWER STATED DETAIL QUESTIONS CORRECTLY

STATED DETAIL QUESTIONS

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE According to the passage…
QUESTION
It is stated in the passage…

The passage indicates that…

Which of the following is true..?

WHERE TO FIND THE The answers to these questions are found in the passage.
ANSWER
HOW TO ANSWER THE 1. Choose a key word in the question.
QUESTION 2. Skim in the appropriate part of the passage for the key
word or idea.
3. Read the sentence that contains the key word or idea
carefully.
4. Eliminate the definitely wrong answers and choose the
best answer from the remaining choices.

SKILL 4: FIND “UNSTATED” DETAILS

“UNSTATED” DETAIL QUESTIONS

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE Which of the following is not stated…?
QUESTION
Which of the following is not mentioned…?

Which of the following is not discussed…?

All of the following are true except…

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WHERE TO FIND THE The answers to these questions are found in order in the
ANSWER passage.
HOW TO ANSWER THE 1. Choose a key word in the question.
QUESTION 2. Scan the appropriate place in the passage for the key
word (or related idea).
3. Read the sentence that contains the key word or idea
carefully.
4. Look for the answers that are definitely true according to
the passage. Eliminate those answers.
5. Choose the answer that is not true or not discussed in the
passage.

SKILL 5: FIND PRONOUN REFERENTS

PRONOUN REFERENTS
HOW TO IDENTIFY THE The pronoun “…” in line X refers to which of the following?
QUESTION
WHERE TO FIND THE The line where the pronoun is located is given in the question.
ANSWER The noun that the pronoun refers to is generally found before
the pronoun.
HOW TO ANSWER THE 1. Locate the pronoun in the passage.
QUESTION 2. Look before the pronoun for nouns that agree with the
pronoun.
3. Try each of the nouns in the context in place of the
pronoun.
4. Eliminate any definitely wrong answers and choose the
best answer from the remaining choices.

SKILL 6- ANSWER IMPLIED DETAIL QUESTIONS CORRECTLY

IMPLIED DETAIL QUESTIONS
HOW TO IDENTIFY THE It is implied in the passage that …..
QUESTION
It can be inferred from the passage that ….

It is most likely that ….

What probably happened ….?

WHERE TO FIND THE The answers to these questions are generally found in order in
ANSWER the passage.

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HOW TO ANSWER THE 1. Choose a key word in the question

QUESTION 2. Scan the passage for the key word (or a related idea)
3. Carefully read the sentence that contains the key word
4. Look for an answer that could be true, according to that
sentence

SKILL 7: ANSWER TRANSITION QUESTIONS CORRECTLY

TRANSITION QUESTIONS
HOW TO IDENTIFY THE The paragraph preceding the passage probably …
QUESTION
What is the most likely in the paragraph following the passage?
WHERE TO FIND THE The answers can generally be found in the first line of the
ANSWER passage for a preceding question. The answer can generally be
found in the last line for a following question.
HOW TO ANSWER THE 1. Read the first line for a preceding question.
QUESTION 2. Read the last line for a following question.
3. Draw a conclusion about what comes before or after.
4. Choose the answer that is reflected in the first or last line
of the passage.

SKILL 8: FIND DEFINITIONS FROM STRUCTURAL CLUES

STRUCTURAL CLUES
HOW TO IDENTIFY THE What is the meaning of “X” in line Y?
QUESTION
The word “X” in line Y is closest in meaning to…

The word “X” in line Y could best to replaced by…

TYPES OF CLUES Punctuation comma, parentheses, dashes
Restatement or, that is, in other words, i.e.
Examples such as, for example, e.g.
WHERE TO FIND THE Information to help you determine what something means will
ANSWER generally be found the punctuation clue, the restatement clue,
or the example clue.
HOW TO ANSWER THE 1. Find the word in the passage.
QUESTION 2. Locate any structural clues.
3. Read the part of the passage after the structural clue

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carefully.
4. Eliminate any definitely wrong answers and choose the
best answer from the remaining choices.

SKILL 9: DETERMINE MEANINGS FROM WORD PARTS

When you are asked to determine the meaning of a long word that you do not know in the
reading sec The following chart contains a few word parts that you will need to know.

A SHORT LIST OF WORD PARTS

PART MEANING EXAMPLE PART MEANING EXAMPLE
CONTRA (against) contrast DIC (say) dictate
MAL (bad) malcontent DOMIN (master) dominant
MIS (error) mistake JUD (judge) judgment
SUB (under) subway MOR (death) mortal
DEC (ten) decade SPEC (see) spectator
MULTI (many) multiple TERR (earth) territory
SOL (one) solo VER (turn) divert
TRI (three) triple VIV (live) revive

SKILL 10: USE CONTEXT TO DETERMINE MEANINGS OF DIFFICULT WORDS

VOCABULARY QUESTIONS CONTAINING DIFFICULT WORDS

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE What is the meaning of “X” in line Y?
QUESTION
The word “X” in line Y is closest in meaning to….
WHERE TO FIND THE Information to help you understand the meaning of an unknown
ANSWER word can often be found in the context surrounding the
unknown word.
HOW TO ANSWER THE 1. Find the word in the passage.
QUESTION 2. Read the sentence that contains the word carefully.
3. Look for context clues to help you understand the
meaning.
4. Choose the answer that the context indicates.

SKILL 11: USE CONTEXT TO DETERMINE MEANINGS OF SIMPLE WORDS

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VOCABULARY QUESTIONS CONTAINING SIMPLE WORDS

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE What is the meaning of “X” in line Y?
QUESTION
The word “X” in line Y could best to replaced by….
WHERE TO FIND THE Information to help you understand the secondary meaning of a
ANSWER simple word can often be found in the context surrounding the
word.
HOW TO ANSWER THE 1. Find the word in the passage.
QUESTION 2. Read the sentence that contains the word carefully.
3. Look for context clues to help you understand the
meaning.
4. Choose the answer that the context indicates.

SKILL 12: DETERMINE WHERE SPECIFIC INFORMATION IS FOUND

QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE IN THE PASSAGE

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE Where in the passage…..?
QUESTION
WHERE TO FIND THE The answer can be in any of the lines listed in the answers to
ANSWER the question.
HOW TO ANSWER THE 1. Choose a key word or idea in the question.
QUESTION 2. Skim the appropriate part(s) of the passage looking for
the key word or idea.
3. Choose the answer that contains the key word or idea.

SKILL 13: DETERMINE THE TONE, PURPOSE, OR COURSE

TONE, PURPOSE, OR COURSE

HOW TO IDENTIFY THE What is the tone of the passage?
QUESTION
What is the author’s purpose in this passage?

In which course would this reading be assigned

WHERE TO FIND THE tone Look for clues throughout the passage that show if
ANSWER the author is showing some emotion rather than just
pressing facts.
purpose Draw a conclusion about the purpose from the main
idea and supporting ideas.
course Draw a conclusion about the course from the topic
of the passage and the supporting ideas.
HOW TO ANSWER THE Tone 1. Skim the passage looking for clues that the
QUESTION author is showing some emotion.

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2. Choose the answer that identifies the

emotion.

Purpose 1. Study the main idea in the topic sentence

and the details used to support the main
idea.
2. Draw a conclusion about the purpose.

course 1. Study the main idea in the topic sentence

and the details used to support the main
idea.
2. Draw a conclusion about the course.

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