SUMMARY OF SKILLS Reading Toefl

§SUMMARY OF SKILLS

§SKILL ONE

§Answer Main Idea questions correctly

If you see the following in the question…

topic, subject, title, primary idea, main idea,

main point, With what is the author primarily

concerned?

TIP – to save time… J

v Read the FIRST SENTENCE of each paragraph or the THESIS STATEMENT of the essay…

§SKILL TWO

§Recognize the ORGANIZATION of ideas.

  If you see the following questions…

How is the information in the passage organized?

How is the information in the second paragraph related to the

information in the first paragraph?

TIP – to save time… J

vRead the FIRST LINE of each paragraph

vLook for words that show the relationship

  between the paragraphs

§SKILL THREE

§Answer the stated DETAIL questions correctly

  If you see the following in the question…

According to the passage… It is stated in the passage… The

passage indicates that… The author mentions that… Which of

the following is true…?

TIP – to save time… J

vChoose a KEY WORD in the question

vFIND the key word in the passage & read the sentence carefully…

v Find the BEST answer that restates the idea in the passage.

§SKILL FOUR

§Find UNSTATED details.

  If you see the following questions…

Which of the following is not stated?... is not mentioned?

… is not discussed?... All of the following are true except…

TIP – to save time… J

vChoose a KEY WORD in the question

vFIND the key word in the passage & read the sentence carefully…

v Find the answer that is NOT TRUE or NOT DISCUSSED in the passage.

§SKILL FIVE

§Find PRONOUN references.

  If you see the question…

The pronoun “…” in line X refers to which of the following?

TIP – to save time… J

vFind the pronoun in the passage.

vLook for nouns that come before the pronoun.

 

§

§SKILL SIX

§Answer IMPLIED DETAIL questions correctly.

  If you see the following in the question…

It is IMPLIED in the passage that… It can be INFERRED from the

passage that… It is most LIKELY that… What PROBABLY

happened…?

TIP – to save time… J

vFist Choose a KEY WORD in the question

vLook for this/these word/s in the passage

vCarefully read the sentence with the key word.

vLook for the option that could be true according to that sentence.

§SKILL SEVEN

§Answer TRANSITION questions correctly.

  If you see the following in the question…

The paragraph PRECEDING the passage probably… What is most

likely in the paragraph FOLLOWING the passage…

TIP – to save time… J

vRead the FIRST LINE of the passage for the “Preceding”… and LAST LINE for the “Following” questions.

vMake up your mind about what comes before/ after.

vChoose the best option that is reflected in the first/last line of the passage.

v

§VOCABULARY QUESTIONS

SKILL EIGHT

§Find DEFINITIONS from STRUCTURAL clues.

  If you see the following in the question…

What is…? What is the MEANING of…? What is true about…?

TIP – to save time… J

vLook at punctuation… comma, parantheses, dashes (for explanations)

vRestatement… or,that is, in other words, i.e

vExamples… such as,for example, e.g

§

TIP – to save time… J (cont)

vFind the WORD in the passage

vLocate any STRUCTURAL clues

vRead the part of the passage AFTER the structural clues CAREFULLY.

vEliminate any definitely wrong answers and choose the best answer from the remaining clues.

§SKILL NINE

§Determine meanings from WORD PARTS.

  TIP – to save time… J

vCheck out the LIST of word formation (prefixes, roots, suffixes) at the end of this presentation…

vUse these word parts to guess the meaning of the words.

§SKILL TEN

§Use CONTEXT to determine meanings of DIFFICULT words.

  If you see the following in the question…

What is the MEANING…? Which of the following is closest in MEANING to…?

NOTE: The word is a difficult one and that you probably do not know.

TIP – to save time… J

vFind the word in the passage

vRead the sentence with the word CAREFULLY

vLook for CONTEXT clues to help you understand the meaning

§SKILL ELEVEN

§Use CONTEXT to determine meanings of SIMPLE words.

  If you see the following in the question…

What is the MEANING…? Which of the following is closes in

MEANING to…?

Note: The word is a simple word, one that you see often in everyday English.

TIP – to save time… J

vFind the word in the passage.

vRead the sentence with the word CAREFULLY

vLook for CONTEXT clues to help you understand the meaning as its usually different from the simple meaning.

vChoose the best option.

§

§OVERALL REVIEW QUESTIONS 

SKILL TWELVE

§Determine where SPECIFIC INFORMATION is found.

  If you see the following in the question…

WHERE in the passage…?

TIP – to save time… J

vChoose a KEY WORD /IDEA in the question

vSkim the lines in the passage that are LISTED in the answers. Skim for the KEY WORD/IDEA.

vChoose the answer that contains the line numbers of a restatement of the question.

§

§SKILL THIRTEEN

§Determine the TONE, PURPOSE, or COURSE

  If you see the following in the question…

What is the TONE of the passage?... What is the author’s PURPOSE in this passage?...In which COURSE would this reading be assigned?

TIP – to save time… J

vTONE: there will be clues throughout the passage that the author is showing EMOTION rather than just presenting facts.

vSkim the passage looking for clues that author is showing EMOTION.

v

§

TIP – to save time… J (Cont.)

vPURPOSE: Draw a conclusion about the PURPOSE from the main idea and supporting details.

vStudy the main idea in the topic sentence and the details used to support the main idea.

vDraw a conclusion about the purpose.

vCOURSE: Draw a conclusion about the COURSE from the topic of the passage and the supporting details.

vStudy the main idea in the topic sentence and the details used to support the main idea.

vDraw a conclusion about the course.

v

§READING COMPREHENSION

Word formation with prefixes, Stems, and Suffixes

PREFIXES

Ab-

Out of;

Absorb (to take (something) out of something)

Ante-

Before;

Antecedent (someone or something that existed in the past)

Anti-

Against;

Antigovernment (against the government)

Bi-

Two;

Bidirectional (in two or both directions)

§

Circum-

Around;

Circumvent (to avoid, to work around something)

Co-, col-,

Together, with;

Cooperate (to work together)

Com-,con-,

Commettee (a group working together) congreate (to come together)

Dis-

Not, take away;

Dissatisfied (not satisfed)

Em-,en-,

İn,into,inside;

Enclose (to surround, to include)

§

Ex-,

Out, from;

External (outside, outer)

For-,fore-,

Ahead, to the front;

Forward (ahead)

Il-,im-,

Not;

İllogical (not logical) impossible (not possible)

İm-,in-,

İn, into;

İmport (to bring into a country) inhale (to breathe in)

İn-,ir-,

Not;

İncovenient (not convenient) irresponsible (not responsible)

§

Inter-,

Between, among;

Interstate (between or among states)

Re-,

Again, back;

Revive (to bring back to life) reread (to read again)

Sub-,

Below, under;

Subsurface (under the surface)

Syn-,

Same;

Synchronic (occurring at the same time)

micro-,

Very small;

Microcomputer (a small computer)

§

§

Mis-,

Wrong(ly);

Misbehave (to behave wrongly)

Over-,

Above, more;

Overcrowded (to be crowded above capacity)

Post-,

After;

Postwar (after the war) Pre-,

Before;

Precede (to come before)

§

Pro-,

Before, in front of, in favor of;

Proclaim (to present a claim before others)

Trans-,

Across;

Transport (to carry across)

Un-,

Not;

Unclear (not clear)

§ROOTS

Alter

Other, different;

Alternative (another choice)

Anthro

Human;

Anthropology (the study of humankind)

Aqua

Water;

Aquarium (water container/tank)

Astro

Star;

Astronomer (a person who studies stars)

Auto

Self;

Automobile (moving by itself (vehicle))

§

Bio

Life;

Biography (a description of someone’s life)

Chron

Time;

Synchronic (occuring at the same time)

Cycle

Circle;

Bicycle (two circles (wheels))

Demo

People;

Demographics (a description (science) of people (population))

Dic,dict

To speak, to say;

Dictate (to say words (out loud))

Equi

Equal;

Equilibrium (balance (having equal weight on both or all sides)

§

Extra

Over, in addition;

Extraordinary (out of the ordinary)

Geo

Earth;

Geography (a description  (science) of the earth)

Graph

To write;

Phonograph (a device that records (writes) sounds)

Homo

Same;

Homogeneous (of the same kind)

Hydr(o)

Water;

Hydrology (a science of water)

Hyper

Extra, over;

Hyperactive ( overactive)

Judic

Law;

Judicial (associated with the law)

§

Liber

Free;

Liberate (to set free)

Log(y)

Study of, description of;

Sociology (the study/description of society)

Manu

Hand;

Manufacture (produce by hand)

Medi

Middle;

Mediterranean Sea (the sea that is in the middle of the earth)

Medieval (pertaining to the Middle Ages)

Meter

To measure;

Geometry (a sicence of measuring the earth)

Mit/s

To send;

Transmit (to send over)

Mobil

Movable;

Mobility (motion, movement)

§

Mono

One;

Monosyllabic (consisting of one syllable)

Mort

Death;

Mortal (someone/thing that ) can die

Phon

Voice, sound;

Phonology (a study (science) of voice or sounds)

Photo

Light;

Photosensitive (sensitive to light)

Poly

Many;

Polysyllabic ((consisting of) many syllables)

Port

To carry;

Transport (to carry over/to)

§

Prim

First;

Prime minister (the first (most important) minister

Scope

To view;

Microscope (an instrument for viewing very small things)

Scrib,scrip

To write;

Tapescript (something written on tape)

Simu(l)

Same time;

Simultaneous (occurring at the same time)

Spec(t)

To look;

Spectacular (worthy of being looked at, watched)

§

§

Tele

Over (at a) distance;

Telephone ( sound over distance)

Tempo

Time;

Temporary (for a limited time)

Terra

Land, earth;

Terrain (surface of the land)

Tract

To pull;

Tractor (a machine that pulls)

§

Uni

One;

Uniform (consistent (as one) in shape or appearance)

Ver

True, genuine;

Verify (to check for truthfulness, to prove

to be true)

Vit(a)

Life;

Vital (very important for life)

Vid,vis

To see;

Visible (can be seen)

§SUFFIXES

-able,-ible,

Adjective – able;

Lovable (can be loved)

-al,-ical, -ial,

Adjective – belonging to, pertaining to, having to do with;

Magical (having to do with magic)

-ance,-ence,

Noun – state of being;

Presence (the state f being here) Absence (the state of

not being here)

-ant,-ent,

Noun – someone or something who does something;

Student (someone who studies)

§

-er,

Noun – someone who does something;

Worker (someone who works)

-fic,

Adjective – making, doing;

Specific (making special)

-ful,

Adjective – full of;

Playful, joyful

-fy,

Verb- to add, to make;

Simplify (to make simple)

-hood,

Noun – state, condition;

brotherhood, (the state of being brothers)

§

-ic,

Adjective – belonging to;

Public (belonging to the people)

Noun

Medic (one who belongs to or is associated with

medicine)

-ion,(-tion,-sion),

Noun – act, state;

Motion (the act of moving) Decision (the act of deciding)

-ious,-ous,

Adjective – full of, having the quality of;

Ambiguous (having ambiguity)

-ist,

Noun – someone who is something or routinely does something;

Violonist (someone who plays a violin)

§

-ism,

Noun- belief, values of, practice of;

Capitalism (values based on capital) -ity,-ty,

Noun – state;

Clarity (the state of being clear)

-less,

Adjective – without;

Penniless (without a penny(coins))

-ly,

Adverb-

Honestly, warmly

-ment,

Noun – result of an action/state;

Development (the result of developing)

§

-ness,

Noun from adjectives – state, condition;

Kindness (the state of being kind)

-ship,

Noun – state, condition;

Relationship (the state of being related to someone or something)

-ure,

Noun – act, process, state;

Adventure, temperature

-y,  

Adjective – characterized by, like;

lucky,happy

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