IELTS Reading Section: Técnicas y Preguntas Parte 1

How to identify views and information in reading questions?

Facing a text and having to select whether a statement is true, false, or not given can be quite a challenge, but don't worry, here we teach you how to do it efficiently and accurately. Often, in the reading section of English language exams, you will come across this type of question, also known as true, false, or not given questions. This method not only saves you time, but also ensures that your answers are correct.

What steps do you take to answer?

1. Identifying the relevant text: Look for a piece of text that agrees with or contradicts the statement in the question.

   • True: if it agrees.
   • False: if it contradicts.
   • Not given: if there is no information about it.

2. Key tip: scan and skim:

   • Scan: Find the key words in the question and look for those same words (or synonyms) in the text.
   • Skim: Read only the first line of each paragraph to quickly locate the necessary information.

3. Order of questions: Remember that the questions are in the same order as the information in the text. Don't look for the answer to the fifth question in the first paragraph, that will never happen!

4. Avoid reading the text before looking at the questions: Going directly to the text to answer the questions saves time and avoids unnecessary rereading.

What keywords to look for?

Keywords are usually relevant nouns, verbs or adjectives. For example, in a question about Marie Curie, we might look for words such as husband, joint winner, and Nobel Prize. Once identified, scan the text for these keywords or their synonyms and determine whether they support, contradict, or do not relate to the information in the question.

How to approach multiple-choice questions?

Multiple-choice questions are common and can seem complicated if you do not follow the proper steps. We ask you to select one or more correct answers based on the information in the text.

How to select the correct answer?

1. Paragraph interpretation: Make sure you fully understand what the paragraph in question says. This will allow you to compare and select the option that best paraphrases what the text expresses.

2. Discard incorrect choices: Eliminate those that are inconsistent or contradict what is mentioned in the paragraph.

3. Identify keywords: In the questions or options, focus on these keywords and locate them in the text.

What tips to follow during practice?

• Notice clues: If the question mentions a specific paragraph, focus only on that paragraph.
• Understand the instructions: Check how many answers are required, as sometimes it is necessary to select more than one option.
• Compare paragraphs and options: Read the specific question prompts and corresponding paragraphs thoroughly before selecting an answer.

In the end, constant practice is the key to improving our ability to efficiently answer these questions. Download the support material and keep practicing! You can check your answers against the solutions in the document. Remember, next class we will go even deeper into these reading strategies, so keep going!