TOEFL GUIDELINES: READING

The most important instruction is to: NEVR READ EACH AND EVERY LINE.

That is the key of time saving. You should not be reading each and every line. You are supposed to read the first paragraph very carefully to get an idea about the passage. Then skim through the rest of the paragraphs and note down what each paragraph of the passage is about. In this way you will know which paragraph to read while answering a specific question.

Look for the words having

1.      SAME DIRECTION: and, because, even, therefore, another, for example, one reason, due to

2.      OPPOSITE DIRECTION: although, however, yet, despite, but, in contrast to, on the other hand, rather

TYPES OF QUESTIONS:

·         FACTUAL: You will be asked about a FACT or any FIGURE stated in the paragraph. These types of questions are very simple.

·         NON-FACTUAL: You will be asked about any other thing apart from an obvious fact stated in the passage.

·         INFERENCE: you will be asked about the purpose of some line. You will have to deduce yourself that what that paragraph is stating because it will not be mentioned exactly, you will have to “infer” it from the paragraph.

·         RHETORICAL: these will include questions like: to illustrate, to explain, to contrast, to refute, to note, to support

·         VOCABULARY: you will be asked about any word used in the passage and you will have to select its meaning with reference to the usage in that specific sentence

·         REFERENCE: there will be questions with specific reference in the passage, e.g in line 21..

·         SENTENCE SIMPLIFICATION: You will be asked to choose a sentence which simplifies a complex sentence of a paragraph. Remember: in simplification you must not chose an option which is not covering ALL essential elements.

·         INSERT TEXT: You will be asked to insert a sentence in the passage and three or four locations will be given. You will have to choose the most suitable place keeping in mind the context and fluency of the passage.

·         SUMMARY: the passage will have a question in the end about summary. There will be points given and you will have to choose 4 that will summarize the whole passage. This is very tricky. Keep in mind you don’t a line that is not related to the major topic of discussion. The main idea of the passage and all the important points from every paragraph should be covered.

·         FILL IN A TABLE: Either a passage will have a summary question or fill in a table question. In this case too you will have to carefully choose the sentences falling in each category mentioned in the table. Make sure that you don’t chose a sentence which is true BUT is not mentioned in the passage.

TIP: one very useful tip for choosing the answer is that if you don’t know the right answer you can start crossing out the options for which you know that is not right. So you start eliminating the wrong options. In this way you will have more chances of getting the right answer.